Over 150 American mayors have renewed a 2017 pledge to combat hate and extremism in their cities.
The US Conference of Mayors (USCM) and the ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) announced the measure on Thursday as the White House promised to directly tackle the issue.
With hate crimes rising six percent in 2020, according to FBI data – the highest increase in over a decade – and with antisemitic incidents at historic levels across the US, the mayors committed to 10 key steps to tackle hate across the nation.
“America’s mayors have always worked to bridge divides and bring people together,” said Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt. “That is what we do. Those efforts are built on a foundation of respect for human dignity. In the absence of that foundation, bigotry, hate and racism take hold. In that environment of dehumanization we ultimately see violence. Each of us has an obligation to do our part to stand against these forces. Mayors are working to fulfill our obligation through this bipartisan compact against hate, extremism and bigotry. We are grateful to the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the Anti-Defamation League for providing this platform.”
“Mayors have long supported civil rights action, with many speaking out over the last six decades to combat racism within their own cities,” said Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director of the US Conference of Mayors. “As we continue to witness violent extremism spread division in our communities, mayors are combatting hate, discrimination and bigotry by working with the ADL to recommit to our Compact. The nation’s mayors start this work locally, providing a guide for the nation, cultivating empathy for fellow neighbors, and ensuring that all Americans are able to live their lives without fear.”
The steps include speaking out against racism and bigotry; denouncing acts of hate when they occur; ensuring public safety while safeguarding free speech; ensuring hate crime investigations have full resources; promoting professional development for law enforcement responding to hate incidents; and encouraging residents to report hate incidents and crimes using hotlines and online tools.
The pledge is similar to a compact organized by the ADL and the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 2017.
“Our leaders across every level of government must speak with moral clarity and take the lead in combating hate and extremism,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said. “The hate we saw in Charlottesville persists to this day and we are proud that many of our nation’s mayors renewed their pledge to fight the hatred that infects too many cities across America. Mayors understand all too well how these evils affect individual communities, and local government often makes the biggest day-to-day impact in people’s lives. This work will be central in stopping extremism-motivated violence and we at ADL stand with mayors in our joint effort to keep communities safe.”