How can hate speech increase conflict between ethnic groups?

Hate speech increases conflict between ethnic groups by deepening existing discord and creating an environment where violence becomes more likely. When leaders or elites utilize hate speech, they often employ tactics such as scapegoating and the manipulation of media to heighten tensions between groups.1

This process can escalate through a pattern often described as stochastic terrorism, which involves four primary stages:2

• Demonization: Blaming a specific ethnic group for social ills or injustices, often using false or exaggerated claims.2
• Dehumanization: Repeatedly portraying the target group as an "other," which diminishes their humanity in the eyes of followers.2
• Desensitization: Through the repetition of violent rhetoric, suggestions of aggression cease to be shocking and begin to be viewed as acceptable or necessary reactions.2
• Denial: After violence occurs, the speaker denies responsibility, often claiming they never provided a specific plan of attack.2

By propagating these messages, speakers increase the statistical probability that individuals will commit acts of violence, even if the specific timing and nature of such acts remain unpredictable. This rhetoric is particularly dangerous during periods of political uncertainty, as it can break down societal norms and lead to the wider tolerance of violence.2