The number of hate groups operating in the United States rose significantly in 1997, to 474 hate groups and group chapters involved in racist behaviour, as reported by the Intelligence Project. This is an increase of 20 per cent from 1996.
Of the 474 groups counted, 127 were Klan organizations and their chapters; 100 were neo-Nazi; 42 were Skinhead; 81 were Christian Identity, a racist religion; 12 were black separatist; and 112 followed a hodgepodge of hate-based doctrines and ideologies.
The National Association for the Advancement of White People, started by David Duke in 1978, claimed to quadruple in size, from 18 chapters in 1996 to 79 in 1997.
The recently created World Church of the Creator, a neo-Nazi group, more than doubled in size, growing from 14 chapters in 1996 to 33 chapters in 1997.
Source:The Southern Poverty Law Center, Intelligence Report, Winter, 1998.
