© 2024 All Rights reserved WUSF
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Members of hate groups have a 'significant presence' in the Tampa Bay area

Supporters of President Donald Trump climb the west wall of the the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.
Jose Luis Magana
/
AP
Supporters of President Donald Trump climb the west wall of the the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.

A member of the national executive committee of the Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee said this includes members of organizations such as the Proud Boys and Three Percenters.

Last year, the Southern Poverty Law Center identified 50 three hate groups in Florida.

Florida is home to the second highest number of extremist groups in the country — and has more people per capita belonging to them than any other state.

A member of the Anti-Defamation League from Sarasota said organizations like the Proud Boys and Three Percenters have a "significant presence" in the greater Tampa Bay region.

Chart of the number of hate groups in Florida vs other states
David Millstone
Chart of the number of hate groups in Florida vs other states

David Millstone is a member of the national executive committee of the Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.

During an online workshop, he said Florida is home to the most people arrested in connection with the 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol.

David Millstone
Zoom
David Millstone

David Millstone

"We didn't come second to California, Texas — anyplace else," Millstone said. "Florida is distinguished as having the most residents who have been arrested, that were indicted for participating in the insurrection. There were 70 of them."

Millstone says those people should be held accountable, but groups like his also need to help "improve the government's response to domestic extremism."

For example, Millstone says the Jewish Federation has been asked to train Sarasota police officers on how to recognize and deal with anti-Semitism. The move comes after anti-Semitic fliers were distributed in February and March in several Sarasota neighborhoods.

Steve Newborn is a WUSF reporter and producer at WUSF covering environmental issues and politics in the Tampa Bay area.
You Count on Us, We Count on You: Donate to WUSF to support free, accessible journalism for yourself and the community.