SPRINGFIELD — Hate crimes, intimidation and extremism are on the rise in Illinois, according to a report released Wednesday by the Anti-Defamation League.
The report, which tracks hate incidents aimed at immigrant, Black, Jewish, Muslim and LGBTQ+ communities, highlighted 1,054 cases of hate, extremism, terrorism and antisemitism in Illinois between 2020-24. Overall, the number of hate crimes in the state rose from 98 in 2021 to 347 in 2023, according to FBI statistics.
“We often think that Illinois is immune from this type of extremism, but that just isn’t the case,” David Goldenberg, ADL Midwest regional director, said at a news conference in the state Capitol.
Hate leafleting has become an increasingly common means for extremist groups to espouse hateful messages and intimidate marginalized communities, Goldenberg said.
More than half of all hate incidents involve white supremacist propaganda, according to the ADL.
“When we see individuals being targeted because of their race, their religion, their nationality, their immigration status and flyers are being dropped on their homes and private property, that is when it crosses the line,” Goldenberg said. “When we see a mosque having anti-Muslim flyers being dropped in front of it, it’s clear that that’s not just free speech, but a hate crime.”
To curtail the increase in threats of violence and intimidation, the ADL called on the state to pass legislation that would provide targeted groups or individuals greater ability to seek damages starting at $10,000.
The legislation has drawn opposition from groups that say it could have a chilling effect on individuals’ rights to free speech.
The proposed law, as it is currently written, puts the responsibility of proof on the defendant, and could be used to stymie students or advocates that do not have the resources to protect themselves, said Andrew Herrera, spokesman for the Illinois Coalition for Human Rights.
“You create really meaningful consequences and all you have to do is bring a few [cases] and all of a sudden you see people get really nervous about what is permissible speech and what will get you potentially sued,” Herrera said.
The ADL also backs increased training standards for Illinois law enforcement to better identify and respond to hate crimes.
In 2023, Chicago police reported 326 hate crimes occurred throughout the city, a 64% increase over the previous year. Race, ethnic and religiously motivated hate crimes accounted for more than three-fourths of incidents in the city.
According to the FBI’s crime database, the increased number of incidents in Illinois follows a national trend that began following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
“We’re looking for some help and support from law enforcement to enforce some of these [anti-hate] policies so we feel safe as a community,” said Irshad Khan, lead organizer for the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago.
Intrusions on basic rights and freedom of speech have become major concerns in the Chicago region’s Muslim community, Khan said. “There’s a lot of fear and anxiety and uncertainty… we want to make sure that we are promoting a supportive, inclusive environment.”