PRESS RELEASE
October 18, 2024

Anti-immigration incidents in Ohio accounted for 50% of all reported threat and harassment events targeting local officials around the country in September.

Princeton, NJ – Threats and harassment against local officials spiked in Springfield, Ohio last month after white nationalist and anti-immigrant groups began to circulate false claims about the city’s Haitian community, which were subsequently amplified by former President Trump. Anti-immigration incidents targeting Springfield officials accounted for approximately 50% of all hostile events against local officials reported nationwide in September. While the uptick in Ohio did not lead to a wider increase in threats and harassment targeting local officials around the country, the latest monthly update from BDI’s Threats and Harassment Dataset (THD) indicates that hostility remains at heightened levels. 

Throughout the month, at least 14 different threat or harassment events against local officials were reported in Springfield, including death threats and demonstrations by known hate groups at an official’s home. These incidents came as part of a larger wave of threats and property destruction in the city, including over 30 bomb threats, physical attacks on vehicles belonging to Haitian residents, and doxing and swatting activity targeting journalists. The threats disrupted schools, hospitals, government functions, and local events. Springfield leaders and Ohio’s Republican governor have denounced the false claims, and the local community has come together to raise thousands of dollars for charities and schools impacted by threats. These positive community responses may have played a role in preventing more widespread anti-immigration threats against local officials in other areas beyond Springfield.

“What we’ve seen in Springfield is a clear example of how platforming false claims and disinformation can have real-world impacts not just for the targeted groups, but also the wider community – including officials of both parties,” said BDI Executive Director Shannon Hiller. “Fortunately, Springfield is also an example of community resilience, providing a model for how officials and their constituents can rally together to push back on threats and protect civic space. It’s critical that we support these efforts and ensure communities are equipped with the tools they need to mitigate risk as we head into the election.”

Key Trends

• So far this year, over 400 threat and harassment events have been reported across more than 40 states and the District of Columbia. 
  • Events are up nearly 7% compared to the first three quarters of 2023, and 79% compared to the same time period in 2022.
  • At the current pace, 2024 is on track to surpass 2023 in total number of threat and harassment events.
  • Events stabilized in September after a decrease in August following a large increase in July. Overall hostility levels are likely to continue fluctuating through the election as further interactions between local and national dynamics result in shifts in the threat environment. Specific types of officials, like election officials, may also face heightened targeting as trends evolve during the election period.
• In addition to events in Springfield, a series of incidents targeting school officials, such as principals and superintendents, was also reported around the country in September. The uptick coincides with the beginning of the school year, as well as a larger rise in hoaxes and other threats to schools in the wake of the September shooting at a high school in Georgia. 
• Hyperlocal motivations continue to drive a significant amount of reported threat and harassment events, especially in cases where local dynamics interact with national political dynamics, like in Springfield. 
  • Similar to levels recorded in August and July, nearly 60% of events in September were driven by hyperlocal motivations, including an encounter after an official attempted to maintain order during public comments at a local meeting as well as disagreements over municipal finances.
  • These hyperlocal incidents have accounted for the majority of events recorded since July (see graph below).

The THD will continue to be updated monthly to provide users with near-real-time data on the evolving threat and harassment landscape going into the election and beyond, in order to better support evidence-based decision-making to protect civic spaces. To access the dataset, please register at the BDI website. 

Media Contact: Sam Jones, Communications Manager

The Bridging Divides Initiative (BDI) is a non-partisan research initiative based at Princeton University that tracks and mitigates political violence in the United States. BDI seeks to contribute to a future where thriving communities are prepared to respond in periods of risk, are empowered to address the long-term divides we face as a society, and are supported to build a pluralistic, multi-racial democracy.

The THD is part of BDI’s Understanding Threats and Harassment Against Local Officials (UTH) project, a mixed methods approach to systematically monitor the full scope of threats and harassment facing local officials across the United States, and is made possible by the UTH consortium. Current members of the consortium include the Anti-Defamation League, the Brennan Center for Justice, CivicPulse, the Prosecution Project, the National League of Cities, and the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, among others. BDI regularly works to expand data contributions to address gaps in coverage. If you believe your organization has relevant data to contribute, please reach out to [email protected]. For more information about the UTH project and how to cite the research, check our FAQ sheet.

The project is supported by the Brennan Center for Justice, the Bipartisan Policy Center, and generous flexible support from BDI’s core funders, following essential start-up funds from the Anti-Defamation League and Stand Together Trust.