HOUSTON – There were 73 hate groups operating in Texas, including 14 with roots or chapters in Houston in 2018, according to data from the Southern Poverty Law Center.
In 2000, the non-profit organization listed 38 hate groups in the state, which rose to 73 groups last year, with some fluctuations over the years. SPLC says they tracked more than 1,000 hate groups around the country in 2018. You can see the full map here.
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The Houston groups named by SPLC are:
| Houston group | Classification |
|---|---|
| A Voice For Men | Male supremacy |
| Act for America | Anti-muslim |
| Black Riders Liberation Party | Black Nationalist |
| Conservative Republicans of Texas | Anti-LGBT |
| Great Milestone | Black Nationalist |
| Israel United In Christ | Black Nationalist |
| Israelite School of Universal Practical Knowledge | Black Nationalist |
| Mountains of Israel | Black Nationalist |
| Nation of Islam | Black Nationalist |
| New Black Panther Party | Black Nationalist |
| New Black Panther Party for Self Defense | Black Nationalist |
| Proud Boys | General hate |
| Texans for Immigration Reduction and Enforcement | Anti-immigrant |
| The Right Stuff | White Nationalist |
READ ALSO: Hate crimes in Houston rose by 212% in 2018, according to new FBI crime data
SPLC says there were also 14 groups that operate statewide in 2018. Those groups are:
| Statewide group | Classification |
|---|---|
| Asatru Folk Assembly | General hate |
| Atomwaffen Division | Neo-Nazi |
| The Daily Stormer | Neo-Nazi |
| Gallows Tree Wotansvolk Alliance | General hate |
| Identity Dixie | Neo-Confederate |
| Identity Evropa | White Nationalist |
| Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan | KKK |
| Midland Hammerskins | Racist Skinhead (White Supremacist) |
| National, Socialist Legion | Neo-Nazi |
| Patriot Front | White Nationalist |
| Soldiers of Odin | Anti-Muslim |
| Traditionalist Worker Party | Neo-Nazi |
| Vanguard America | Neo-Nazi |
| Vinlanders Social Club | Racist Skinhead (White Supremacist) |
On its website, the SPLC says it is “dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our society.”
The method by which SPLC labels groups as “hate groups,” has been a subject of controversy in the past with critics claiming the non-profit organization chooses its causes with funding and donations in mind. Critics have also said the SPLC’s definition of hate is too broad but the group has always stood behind its data.
Over the years, SPLC has been the target of multiple lawsuits. The non-profit organization apologized and agreed to pay $3.4 million to a British group and its founder after labeling them anti-Muslim extremists.
The founder of one of the groups with Houston ties, Proud Boys, filed a defamation lawsuit against SPLC in February, according to a report by NBC News.