by Mitch Smith and Richard Perez-Pena January 6, 2017 CHICAGO — The appalling video seized the nation’s attention this week: A group of young people kidnapped, bound, beat, slashed, gagged, humiliated and threatened to kill a teenager with mental disabilities over nearly three days, and laughed about it as they carried out their acts.
by Hailey Middlebrook January 5, 2017 (CNN)According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a crime becomes a hate crime when there's an added element of bias. For example, a murder is labeled a hate crime if the victim was killed because he was gay. Or black. Or Muslim. "Hate crimes are different from other
by Mitch Smith and Monica Davey January 5, 2017 CHICAGO — A white teenager cowers in a corner, his hands bound with orange cords and his mouth covered with tape. Four African-Americans kick and hit him and slash at his scalp. As a cellphone camera captures their blurry images and broadcasts the ordeal on
by Editorial Board January 5, 2017 This week in hate highlights hate crimes and harassment around the country since the election of Donald Trump. The Southern Poverty Law Center and other groups are keeping detailed counts of harassment and abuse, amid concerns about a rise in hate crimes after the election. Here are some
by John Bacon January 5, 2017 A burst of hate incidents and crimes reported in the days following Donald Trump's election in November has eased, but hate activity remains above pre-election levels, the Southern Poverty Law Center says. Heidi Beirich, head of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project, called on Trump to take a strong stand against
by Iliana Magra January 5, 2017 She was a leader of an anarchist group called Revolutionary Struggle. She helped organize, officials say, a car bombing near the country’s central bank. Later, the authorities say, she rented a helicopter using a fake name and then tried to hijack it in an effort to rescue her
by Marcel Furstenau January 5, 2017 Most Germans have reacted relatively calmly to the recent terror attack in Germany. According to the Infratest Dimap polling institute, 73 percent of those surveyed feel "rather safe," while just 26 percent feel "rather unsafe." The poll was conducted by public broadcaster ARD and newspaper "Die Welt" at
by Virginia Hale January 4, 2017 A Muslim ‘community leader’ has criticised figures showing a fall in ‘hate crime’ cases in Lancashire, claiming that Muslims are living in “fear” in the wake of the Berlin terror attack. Lancashire Council of Mosques chairman Abdul Hamid Qureshi argued Islamophobia is an “increasing problem”, and that the
by Matt Hamilton January 3, 2017 Anti-gay graffiti and extensive vandalism at a Van Nuys home prompted a hate crime investigation Tuesday night by Los Angeles police officers. The vandalism was reported about 6 p.m. at a home in the 7400 block of Vista Del Monte Avenue, according to Officer Mike Lopez, a spokesman
by Megan Doyle January 3, 2017 With no new evidence and no suspect, the Westbrook Police Department has closed an investigation into anti-Muslim threats found at an apartment complex in August. Despite the apparent dead end, however, the police department’s response has quelled some of the fear that rippled through the local Muslim community