Hate groups lose ground in Arkansas

Arkansas had nine hate groups in 2021, down from 14 in 2020, according to a recent report by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).

What's happening: The number of hate groups fell in Arkansas and nationally in 2021 for the third year in a row, but their ideologies have gained traction and entered the mainstream, Axios' Shawna Chen reports.

• There were 1,020 hate groups identified in the U.S. in 2018 by the SPLC. The number was down to 733 last year.
• Zoom in: The highest number of hate groups SPLC has tracked in Arkansas since the turn of the century was 29 in 2010.

Yes, but: The number of hate crimes in the U.S. and Arkansas skyrocketed in 2020, according to the most recent FBI data.

What they're saying: ​The SPLC says the "reactionary and racist beliefs that propelled a mob into the Capitol" during the Jan. 6 riot have become a powerful political movement.

• ​"In the year since the insurrection, this hard-right movement ... has worked feverishly to undermine democracy, with real-world consequences for the people and groups they target," the report says, pointing to legislation focused on LGBTQ youth and voting restrictions.
• Domestic violent extremism is the "single greatest terrorism-related threat" in the U.S., says Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Of note: Four Arkansans are among those facing federal charges in connection with the Capitol breach, according to the Department of Justice.