More than 30 organizations and religious institutions are being awarded grant funding to combat hate crimes, Gov. Larry Hogan announced late Tuesday.
“Hate, bigotry, or racism of any kind is un-American, unacceptable, and wrong,” Hogan said in a news release.
That state is providing $3 million in funding through the Protecting Against Hate Crimes program for organizations to purchase equipment, perform physical security upgrades, and even hire personnel, the release reads.
“This funding will be used to prevent future hate-fueled attacks and help us send a clear message that we stand shoulder to shoulder against all forms of discrimination,” Hogan said.
As part of the organization’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program, the FBI recently released its report on hate crimes in Maryland for 2020. In the state, 152 of 153 agencies voluntarily submitted data to the report, which said 40 incidents of hate crimes were reported in 2020, compared to just 19 in 2019. In addition, there were 49 reported victims in 2020 and just 21 the previous year.
Distribution of the funding was based on the Maryland State Police’s violent and hate crime data, the release reads. Organizations were approved through an application process.
Groups receiving funding include Trustees of the Catholic Cathedral Church of Baltimore, who received $150,000, The Women’s Institute of Torah Seminary for Girls, who received $129,830, The Lubatvich of Howard County, which received $150,000, and The Chabad of Potomac Village, which received $150,000, and others.
A hate crime is defined by the FBI as a criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.
Since 2019, more than $8 million, according to the release, has been provided by the Hogan administration to protect groups from hate crimes.
By Brent Addleman
