New report shows hate on the rise across Illinois
ILLINOIS (25News Now) - A new report from the Anti-Defamation League says that hate and extremism incidents are up throughout Illinois, with over 1,000 incidents reported to the ADL over four years.
The Illinois Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes’ most recent data also shows increasing discrimination and acts of hate over the same time.
ADL’s report covers a wide range of incidents, from hate crimes to intimidation. These incidents could be targeted at Black, immigrant, Jewish, Muslim, or LGBTQ communities.
From 2020 until 2023, the report said there were 23 incidents in Peoria County, 14 in Tazewell County, and five in McLean County. Some hate incidents are crimes, and some are not prohibited by law, but still considered hateful by the ADL.
25News reached out to local law enforcement agencies for comment, although some did not respond.
Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins said the county had one reported hate crime when a man was arrested for threatening to kill an African-American last August. Watkins stressed that this is a different reporting category than anti-Semitic incidents, and his data does not include the City of Peoria.
The ADL report specifically mentioned the 2023 firebombing of Peoria’s Planned Parenthood facility, considering it an act of hate. Tyler Massengill pleaded guilty to the act and is currently serving 10 years in prison.
At a press conference Wednesday, advocates named anti-Semitic flyers distributed in Bloomington this year as an example of hate incidents continuing throughout the state.
“No one has been spared. In March, horrifically anti-Muslim flyers appeared in Mokena. In February, it was anti-Semitic flyers in Bloomington,” said David Goldenberg, the ADL’s Midwest regional director.
Bloomington Police investigated that incident, and several local politicians condemned the flyer rhetoric afterwards. ADL said flyers like the ones in Bloomington have been seen in two or three dozen other communities.
The report primarily covers 2020 to 2023. Most 2024 data isn’t scheduled to be released until around Thanksgiving.
The report can be viewed online.
If someone needs to report a hate incident, they can contact the Illinois Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes.
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