Violent attacks against the Jewish community in the United States have doubled in the past year. Anti-Semitic incidents, including harassment and vandalism, have remained record-high. That’s according to the Anti-Defamation League, who released their annual report this week.
Amanda Susskind, Los Angeles Regional Director for the Anti-Defamation League, says part of the problem can be found right here in California.
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“We have a high population, actually highest population of skinhead groups in the country. The sense of alienation that the white supremacist and right-wing extremists in general are feeling is played out in California to a great degree.”
Susskind also noted that the trend of extremist violence is amplified by the use of social media, which allows hateful speech to spread like wildfire.
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“While this report doesn’t reflect anywhere close to all of the incidents of hate or anti-semitism that appear somewhere online, certainly the online methods of communication, and social media in particular, both embolden and enable extremists to get their message out, and for their message to get out wider and faster.”
The ADL notes this past year has seen the highest number of anti-Semitic incidents with known connections to extremist groups since 2004. The report was released just days after a gunman opened fire at the Chabad of Poway Synagogue near San Diego, killing one woman and injuring three others.