Left-wing political violence is rare; right-wing more prevalent

Photo: Gerald Farinas.

In the American political landscape, violence driven by ideology is not unheard of—but it is far more commonly linked to right-wing extremism than to the left.

Despite sensational narratives that often try to paint left-wing activists as dangerous agitators, the data shows a different picture. Most political violence in the United States in the past few decades has been carried out by right-wing actors.

According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), right-wing extremists were responsible for 66% of all terrorist attacks and plots in the U.S. in 2020, compared to just 20% for left-wing and anarchist extremists and 7% for religious extremists [CSIS, 2021].

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) found similar results, reporting that every single extremist-related murder in the U.S. in 2022 was committed by a right-wing extremist [ADL, 2023].

These acts include the deadly white supremacist attack on a Black church in Charleston (2015), the mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso targeting Latinos (2019), the plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (2020), and the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection—an attempt to overthrow democratic processes, incited and glorified by top Republican leaders and fueled by baseless conspiracy theories.

In contrast, left-wing political violence is far rarer and, when it has occurred in recent years, it often emerges as a reactive response to right-wing violence or systemic state violence.

For example, while some instances of property destruction or minor assaults occurred during the 2020 George Floyd protests, these were dwarfed by the size of the movement and the overwhelmingly peaceful character of the demonstrations.

Moreover, research by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) found that over 93% of racial justice protests in 2020 were nonviolent [ACLED, 2020].

This is not to excuse any form of violence.

I unequivocally condemn all political violence, including the recent tragedy in Washington, D.C. in which Israeli embassy workers lost their lives.

Such acts are indefensible and undermine the democratic values and human rights that justice movements on the left strive to uphold.

Ultimately, the disproportionate threat of right-wing violence in the U.S. is not a partisan talking point—it is a national security reality, documented by both independent researchers and federal agencies.

Recognizing this imbalance is essential not only to crafting effective policy but to confronting the ideologies that perpetuate hate and extremism.