Types of Bias Motivated Incidents

Bias motivated incidents involve a wide variety of activities, but each incident seems to fall into one of the following seven general categories:

  1. Cross Burning: Incidents in this category include crosses put on the victim’s property or in a public area and are designed to intimidate or threaten individuals, groups, or organizations. On some occasions the crosses were lit on fire and on others they were not.

  2. Swastika Graffiti: Incidents in this category include the spray painting of a swastika or swastikas on property, including a residence, other building, or public property.

  3. General Graffiti: This includes general spray-painting/defacing of private or public property with bias-related symbols or slogans.

  4. Harassment: Incidents in this category include all physical or verbal harassment except murder or attempted murder. Shouting racial slurs at a person or assaulting an individual are examples.

  5. Murder: This category includes all murders and attempted murders.

  6. Public Demonstration: This includes different types of public demonstrations such as protests, picketing, and rallies designed to intimidate or threaten individuals, groups, or organizations.

  7. Ku Klux Klan Activity: This category includes Klan rallies, distribution of Klan materials, and Klan related violence.

  8. Violent Assault: Includes incidents in which one party physically attacks another with bias-related motivations.

  9. Discrimination: This includes bias motivated incidents of unfair treatment of a party, such as in housing or employment.

  10. Property Damage: This category includes bias motivated damage of property, such as vandalism, excluding graffiti.

  11. Social Media: Posting of generally biased social media content without making a direct threat or having a specific individual target.