White Supremacy in New Jersey is officially more of a threat within the state’s borders than ISIS and al-Queada according to state security officials. New Jersey’s announcement comes just over a week after the Anti-Defamation League found an increase in white supremacist propaganda efforts across the entire country. This past Friday (Feb. 21), New Jersey released its annual Terrorism Threat Assessment report raising the threat level of white supremacists to ‘high,’ the topmost category for threat levels for any extremist group there.
Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
According to CNN, the only other threat listed as high in the state of New Jersey are homegrown violent extremists, who also topped the list in the state’s 2019 report. White supremacists were previously listed as a moderate threat alongside ISIS, al-Queada, and other foreign extremist groups. White hate groups also currently outrank the West African-based Boko Haram and black separatist groups.
In an official statement, Jared Maples, director of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness said:
“The ever-changing threat landscape in New Jersey and around the country requires us to adjust our strategies to anticipate new threats while remaining ready to combat those already existing.”
The FBI recently raised the threat level of white supremacists groups to ‘high’ after officially recognizing the hate group as a terrorist organization in 2019. While the events that took place in Charlottesville just three ago have emboldened white supremacists across the country, hopefully, the United States government will do their part and rightfully displace these terrorist organizations swiftly.
Check out CNN‘s report on the rapid spread of white supremacists propaganda across the country and how they radicalize new recruits in the video provided below.
