Only four percent of hate crimes in Massachusetts during 1998 could be traced to an organized movement like skinheads, said Christina J. Bouras, executive director of the Massachusetts Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes.
However, hate crimes based on sexual orientation have increased over recent years, bypassing religion-based crimes in 1998 for the first time.
If caught and convicted, the assailants in both cases face up to five years in prison and fines of $10,000.