Jewish group cites Horry County cross-burning in push for South Carolina hate crime law

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — A late 2023 cross-burning outside of Conway points and a rise in antisemitism point to the need for a statewide hate crime bill in South Carolina, the Charleston Jewish Federation said on Wednesday.

Citing an Anti-Defamation League audit released Tuesday that found a 93% year-over-year spike in antisemitic incidents across the state, a federation spokeswoman said in a statement the time has come for lawmakers to act.

“While these numbers are staggering, they are not surprising,” said Natanya Miller, director of educational initiatives.

Over Thanksgiving weekend, a white Horry County couple was accused of burning a cross in the direction of their Black neighbors.

Officials have so far charged 27-year-old Alexis Hartnett and 28-year-old Worden Butler with second-degree harassment in connection with the incident .

South Carolina and Wyoming are the only states without a hate crimes law, though political pressure is mounting for the General Assembly to act.

In February, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12-9 to push S. 615 out for a floor vote, joining a House version of a hate crimes bill.

The Language in both bills is nearly identical: Adding five years to any prison term and fines of up to $10,000 for people found guilty of committing a crime “where the victim was targeted because of their race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, or religion.”

In the meantime, nearly a dozen communities have either approved or are considering local hate crime ordinances, including Florence and Myrtle Beach.

Myrtle Beach officials adopted a measure last week that adds up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine for anyone convicted of a bias-related crime.

“Myrtle Beach is a very diverse community. That’s one of the things that appeals to people,” city spokesperson Mark Kruea told News13. “We have a lot going on here and that variety makes it such an exciting place to live and visit. We want to make sure that it’s a safe place and that people are not being ugly to each other, so hopefully this will serve as an example to behave nicely.”

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Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12 . See more of his work here .

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