LA vs. Hate launches gifs and signs to share and combat rising hate crimes

LA vs Hate, a community program designed to support Los Angeles County residents, has launched its "Signs of Solidarity" campaign to empower people to publicly stand against hate and discrimination, it was announced Thursday.

The campaign comes in response to a 45% increase in hate crimes reported across the county, according to the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations' 2023 report. The number of hate crimes rose from 930 in 2022 to 1,350 in 2023 -- the highest since the agency began tracking in 1980.

The report gives the example that in the United States, hate speech is not necessarily a crime. It can become a criminal offense when the perpetrator threatens violence with spoken or written words against a specific person or group. “Hate speech may also be criminal if it is used against the same person or group of persons in a repeated pattern, which may constitute criminal harassment or stalking,” the report says. 

Led by the L.A. County Commission on Human Relations, the initiative provides communities with yard signs, posters and murals designed to promote unity and inclusion in neighborhoods most impacted by hate. Launching first in the Westlake and San Pedro areas, the campaign will expand countywide in the coming months, officials said.

"Our communities are strongest when we stand together against hate," Robin Toma, executive director of the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations, said in a statement. "The Signs of Solidarity campaign is more than just signage -- it's a call to action, a way for residents to express their values and visibly take a stand against hate."

Kathryn Barger, chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, said the "sharp rise in hate crimes across our county is deeply troubling and we must take action to confront it head-on. I'm proud to support the Signs of Solidarity campaign, especially as posters and materials are distributed throughout the Antelope Valley -- a region where residents are eager to stand united against hate."

The initiative includes partnerships with local artists, community groups and city organizations. Materials will be distributed at libraries, YMCAs, community events and through door-to-door outreach in neighborhoods with high rates of hate activity, officials said. A digital campaign will run in parallel, expanding the campaign's reach online.

"The Signs of Solidarity campaign empowers residents to visibly unite against hate and show that we stand together in support of each other," Supervisor Hilda Solis said. "By transforming our public spaces with messages of inclusion, we empower our communities and send a clear signal that we will not tolerate hatred. Unity will always prevail."

To request signage or learn more, residents can visit lavshate.org/. L.A. residents can share animated images on social media to inform community members about the services provided by LA vs Hate to victims of hate. 

LA vs Hate was launched in 2019 by the L.A. County Commission on Human Relations to help residents report hate crimes and get support through a free, confidential hotline at 2-1-1.

Brenda Verano contributed to this report. Additional reporting by City News Service.