USA - Skinhead Activity On The Rise
by Shayndi RaiceWidespread internet access has caused a significant increase in racist skinhead activity across the United States, according to a new report released this week.
The report by race watchdog, the Anti-Defamation League, found that such groups had made a comeback all across
Following a peak in the late 1970s and 1980s, the skinhead subculture had subduedsomewhat in the early 1990s. But according to the report, the past three years saw a significant resurgence as internet accessibility became the norm, allowing young people to have easier access to hate materials and music. Since it is disenfranchised youth that is most often attracted to racist skinhead subculture, the internet provided a safe haven for them to express their views and find support, explained Robert Trestan of the ADL.“The internet is really important because it’s such a powerful communication tool,” said Mark Pitcavage, Director of Fact Finding for the ADL and head of the study. “It allows the spread of all sorts of ideological or cultural phenomenon.”Another factor that contributed to the growth was the decline of many established white-supremacist groups from 2002 to 2005, causing members to turn instead to the racist skinhead subculture, in groups both organised and unaffiliated.There are 180 racist skinhead groups in the US. According to the report most of those groups were not in existence five years ago. It also noted that there were 83 criminal incidents committed by members of those groups over the past few years.Some of those incidents were violent, with 17 involving charges of murder or attempted murder or manslaughter.Pitcavage said that the ADL noticed the rise in skinhead subculture as part of its regular monitoring of hate group activity. As anecdotal evidence of a significant resurgence became more obvious, they decided to conduct research for a report that would break down activity state by state.“The result had been surprising to us,” he said. “We knew of the rise in groups on an anecdotal basis, but I don’t think even we had suspected there were that many.”While the report documents racist skinhead activity across the country, Pitcavage said that the subculture is relatively new to the East Coast but has become increasingly popular here.Pitcavage said that it is more difficult for West Coast and Midwest skinheads to organize with other each other because of geographical distance. With a high population density in a small geographic area, the East Coast allows skinheads, such as the Keystone State Skinheads and Connecticut White Wolves, to travel from various states and be far more closely connected with each other.Trestan said that the report is essential for law enforcement officials so that they can be aware of racist skinhead groups existing in their area and have the information to properly identify them.
posted by jone @ 22:35
<< Home