Anti-Muslim Hate Group Listed In Hopkinton: SPLC

HOPKINTON, MA — There is a national hate group with a location in Hopkinton, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

ACT For America, an anti-Muslim group originally from Virginia Beach, VA, was listed on the SPLC's 2020 Hate Map with a location in Hopkinton. The SPLC's 2020 map showed a decrease in both national and statewide activity in hate groups, but the SPLC warned that it's more difficult to measure extremism as groups move to encrypted platforms during the coronavirus pandemic.

The SPLC is a leading legal advocacy nonprofit focused on civil rights. Massachusetts had 12 active hate groups in 2020, according to the SPLC, which is down from the 15 that were listed in 2019.

ACT for America was founded in 2007 as a response to the 9/11 attacks and promotes anti-Muslim legislation, anti-Muslim conspiracy theories and uses hate speech to demonize Muslims and conflate mainstream and radical Islam, according to the SPLC.

Hopkinton Town Manager Norman Khumalo said the town is aware of the group and reiterated that the town signed a document titled the "Pledge, Principles, and Actions on Systemic Racism."

The pledge reads in part:

"We, the undersigned members of the Select Board of the Town of Hopkinton, as to our own community and in support of other communities throughout the Commonwealth, pledge to address systemic racism, social injustice, and inequity in the way we govern and provide services to our residents and businesses."