Press Release

ADL Statement on Potential Hate Crime in Oregon

New York, NY, May 27, 2017 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL)'s CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, today released the following statement in response to the deadly attacks in Portland, Oregon over the weekend that are being investigated as possible hate crimes:    

Our hearts go out to the families of Ricky John Best and Taliesin Myrddin Namkai Meche who stood up courageously against hate and who lost their lives. We are praying for Micah David-Cole Fletcher’s full recovery and we thank him for his heroism.

Now more than ever, ADL is sounding the alarm about domestic terrorism and hate crimes in America. The scourge of ideologically motivated violence of all kinds, no matter where it happens or in what form, is one of the key issues of our time. The deadly attack in Portland is not a rare or isolated event. Rather, this is the latest in a long string of violent incidents connected to right-wing extremists in the United States.

This consistent threat requires consistent resources and we call on our leaders to condemn this brutal act of terror and craft policy to counter all forms of violent extremism, including white supremacy.

According to ADL’s Center on Extremism, right-wing extremists have killed or injured more than 800 people in the last 25 years. Since 2007, approximately 74 percent of domestic extremist killings have been carried out by right-wing extremists.