Officials say white supremacists are exploiting the COVID-19 crisis to incite violence and create fear of minority communities, including in the Hudson Valley.

Stu Hackel sits on the town of Greenburgh's Human Rights Advisory Committee.

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In a recent video chat, he told News 12 that there has been a dramatic spike in online activity by neo-Nazis and other racist extremist groups. He says they are looking to weaponize the deadly pandemic and use it as a digital tool to spread hate and conspiracy theories as more Americans spend time on their computers.

"We are facing a migration of white supremacy activity online...in an attempt to create chaos in society," say Hackel.

It's a concern shared by officials at New York's Anti-Defamation League, which issued an alert on rising anti-Semitic rhetoric in Rockland and Orange counties.

It's not just Jewish people who have come under attack. There has reportedly been a 900% growth in hate targeted against Chinese people on Twitter and violence on the streets of New York City.

One woman wearing a mask was recently punched at a subway station, and a man was verbally abused and sprayed with Febreze.

News 12 contacted political leaders to find out what can be done to stop it.

Gov, Andrew Cuomo has made it clear that virus-related hate will not be tolerated. Cuomo ordered state police to increase investigations into white supremacy activity.

In Westchester County, where Zoom-bombing incidents targeting Jewish synagogues are on the rise, the district attorney told News 12 he's also on high alert.

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