The number of active hate groups in the United States has steadily risen over the past several years, from 784 in 2014 to 954 as of 2017, according to the civil rights advocacy group Southern Poverty Law Center.
A number of factors can act as possible explanations for the rise in hate group activity in recent years. Many consider President Donald Trump’s campaign and his first year in office as one such factor. The ensuing social tensions likely emboldened new and existing hate groups — not only to speak out but also to attract new members. Opposition to such widespread adoption of hateful ideology has also inspired several counter organizations that have themselves adopted extremist and sometimes superior ideology, according to the SPLC.
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