Kulanu Blog

Responding to Hate Propaganda: What You Need to Know

The ADL Center on Extremism tracks white supremacist, antisemitic and other hate-related propaganda incidents across the United States. In recent years, the number of such incidents has grown significantly, and an increasing number of people are being exposed to hateful propaganda in a variety of ways. This toolkit provides information and guidance allowing people to respond to any encounters with hate propaganda in a safe and positive way.

This toolkit is intended as an educational resource only. It is not intended and should not be interpreted to provide legal advice or guidance.

Alert Appropriately 
Alert relevant officials, including local law enforcement. Depending on where the propaganda is found, a crime may have been committed. Notify elected officials, such as a local councilmember or the mayor’s office. If the propaganda is affixed to privately owned property or adhered to or graffitied on a location like a school or business, notify the property owners. Also report the incident to ADL. 

Document Carefully 
If propaganda was left on a windshield, lawn or any other public place — keep it instead of throwing it away. Take photos of hateful fliers, posters or graffiti, making note of the date, time and location. If you receive propaganda through the mail, save all the materials, including envelopes. If possible, provide additional information, like what areas of your neighborhood received fliers. Use the ADL H.E.A.T. Map to determine if there have been other incidents in your town or city

Avoid Engagement and Confrontation; Prioritize Safety 
Your safety and the safety of others around you is the most important concern in these situations. If you see someone spreading hateful propaganda, do not confront them or try to make them leave. If you see extremists protesting on the side of the road or on an overpass, do not engage with them. This can be dangerous and may benefit extremists if they get the confrontation on video, because they can share the video with their followers. In all situations — go somewhere safe and notify law enforcement. Don’t pick up or remove propaganda in the view of someone distributing it. Let the authorities handle the removal of hateful propaganda.
 

Share Responsibly 
It is appropriate and responsible to alert local media to hateful propaganda incidents so they can investigate and inform the community. However, use caution when thinking about sharing on social media. Extremists often want exposure and the propaganda itself might be disturbing or triggering to some. If you feel you must share images or video of propaganda you see or find, block or blur out any website URLs, email addresses, phone numbers and names of extremist groups. Do not help extremists share their contact information.       


Why Hate Propaganda Exists
White supremacists comprise a tiny minority of Americans. Despite that, they seek a radical reshaping of society to exclude or even eliminate the many types of people they hate—including people of color, Jews and Muslims, immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community and others—and to form an extreme race-based society in which only white people will exist and exercise power.
To accomplish this, white supremacists attempt to spread racism, antisemitism and other forms of bigotry to recruit new followers and intimidate, harass and harm their perceived enemies. While some white supremacists choose violence as a tactic to achieve these goals, others spread propaganda. These days, much of that propaganda occurs online, but white supremacists still spend a surprising amount of time and effort spreading propaganda in the physical world.
Hate propaganda tends to seek one or more of the following goals:
 

1. Conveying a hateful message, such as the antisemitic myth that Jews control the media or the racist falsehood that Black people are inherently violent; 
2. Sparking fear and anxiety in any person of a targeted community who may view such propaganda; and
3. Directing people to a source (typically online) for more “information,” thus beginning the process of recruitment. 

Anatomy of a Hate Flier
Hate fliers are one of the oldest and most common forms of hate propaganda. Typically, an extremist will put a hate flier into a plastic baggie (to protect it from the elements), with gravel or sand to weigh it down. Occasionally, extremists will use candy to make parents think they are trying to recruit children — making it even more likely the propaganda will get shared on social media.