Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring was the Keynote Speaker at the Anti-Defamation League Washington, DC Region 2017 Annual Meeting, earlier this summer.
Attorney General Herring began his remarks by highlighting the importance of ADL’s work combatting and responding to hate crimes in Virginia—a priority for the Attorney General himself. In response to the rise in hate crimes, Attorney General Herring established No Hate VA, which is a resource guide for Virginians who have been victims of or witnesses to a hate crime.
Both the ADL and Attorney General Herring encourage Virginians to report hate crimes, and are working together to ensure that law enforcement agencies also report hate crimes effectively. The ADL is listed as a primary resource on the No Hate VA webpage—further solidifying the commitment of the ADL and the Attorney General to eradicate all forms of bias in the region.
In his speech, Attorney General Herring also commended the ADL for the amicus brief that it filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. ADL’s brief supported the Commonwealth of Virginia’s challenge to President Donald Trump’s Executive Order on immigration and refugees. He reaffirmed that Virginia will continue to be a home for refugees, migrants, and all people, regardless of race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, and gender identity.
Attorney General Herring expressed his gratitude to the ADL for their partnership, and assured them that he and the ADL will remain steadfast in their commitment to fighting hate in Virginia.