Hate crimes rising in Illinois, calls for stronger laws, police training: Report

• The Anti-Defamation League said hate crimes are rising in Illinois, with over 1,000 incidents reported between 2020 and 2024. Most targeted marginalized communities and were linked to white supremacist propaganda, especially in Cook County.
• The ADL is pushing for the passage of the Neighborhood Freedom from Intimidation Act. It would allow victims to sue for at least $10,000 in damages.
• The organization also calls for mandatory police training on hate crimes and better data sharing to track and prevent extremist threats.

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Hate crimes in Illinois are on the rise, according to a new report released April 9 by the Midwest Regional Office of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a trend backed by FBI data.

“We’re talking about an average of one incident every three days,” said David Goldenberg, ADL Midwest regional director, during a press conference highlighting the data.

ADL report on hate crimes in Illinois

Between 2020 and 2024, the ADL recorded more than 1,000 reports of hate, extremism, terrorism and antisemitism in the state. The incidents targeted immigrant, Black, Jewish, Muslim and LGBTQ+ communities. They ranged from in-person events to flyers and stickers promoting hate-based messages.

Cook County, home to Chicago, had the highest number of incidents, with 428 reports. The ADL said the majority were linked to white supremacist propaganda.

White supremacist groups, according to the ADL, are at the center of most reports they receive.

“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, it’s a hate crime.”

Cook County is also home to Skokie, where a 1977 U.S. Supreme Court ruling upheld the right of the National Socialist Party of America to hold a Nazi rally in the village which had a large Jewish population, including many Holocaust survivors. The event was ultimately called off.

FBI data also shows an increase of hate crimes in Illinois

FBI data aligns with the ADL’s findings, documenting 938 hate crime cases in Illinois over the last five years. The majority of those were classified as anti-Black.

In response to the growing numbers, the ADL is urging Illinois lawmakers to pass the Neighborhood Freedom from Intimidation Act. This bill would allow victims of hate crimes to sue for monetary damages starting at $10,000. Under the proposed law, victims would need to present evidence of harm in court to pursue a claim.

Under Illinois law, a hate crime is defined as a criminal act, such as assault, battery or intimidation, committed because of a person’s actual or perceived race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or immigration status. Penalties depend on the nature of the offense and whether it is a first-time or repeat violation.

ADL calls on local police to implement hate crime training

The ADL is also calling for mandatory hate crime training for all police departments across the state. They say this training would help officers better recognize, respond to and prevent bias-motivated crimes. In addition, the organization is advocating for increased data sharing by law enforcement on extremist threats to improve threat assessment and prevention.