White supremacist propaganda incidents in Connecticut increased by 17% in 2023, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
The ADL reported 235 incidents in Connecticut in 2023. Almost 90 cities and towns were targeted — more than half of the state’s municipalities.
Regional director Stacey Sobel said, in many cases, flyers in plastic bags were thrown onto people's lawns with hateful messages about Black, Jewish and LGBTQ residents. The groups also use stickers and in some cases, demonstrate in person.
“Although Connecticut is the 29th most populous state, we are the 11th in the country for white supremacist propaganda,” Sobel said. “There is more white supremacist propaganda in Connecticut than in Florida.”
Sobel said the war in Gaza is driving that number up.
“The data is demonstrating that there was a sharp increase,” Sobel said. “And previous data has shown us that when there are incidents abroad, they do impact the culture and climate of hate here in the U.S.”
A white supremist group called “The Patriot Front” was responsible for almost 200 of the incidents in Connecticut.
Nationwide, more than 7,500 incidents were reported to the ADL.
According to Sobel, most of the incidents reported are protected under the First Amendment.
“Occasionally, they violate city ordinances and can get arrested for littering,” Sobel said. “Most of this is protected speech. And we as Americans pay a price for freedom of speech; hate speech is the price we pay for freedom of speech. White supremacist groups know the law and they know the line to go up to. So typically, it's very difficult to prosecute.”
If you find an incident of white supremacy, Sobel said it’s important to contact the police as well as the ADL. However, she said that it's best to avoid posting photos of the incident online because that’s giving the groups the attention they want.
“Take a picture before you pick it up or touch it, or before it's removed,” Sobel said. “Make sure you have evidence of it. If you're not sure who perpetrated the act, you can send it to ADL. We will analyze it and give you information about that white supremacist group.”
