They would like you to believe right and islamic groups are more violent but the data doesn't back that up even though they target right wing groups.
Key Statistics and Data Points (2019-2025)
1. Arrest Data and Prosecutions (DOJ & DHS):
2020-2021 (Peak of BLM/Antifa Riots): The Department of Justice reported that of the approximately 300 federal cases brought in connection with the 2020 civil unrest, the vast majority were for crimes like arson, assault on police officers, and vandalism committed by individuals associating with Antifa and BLM ideologies.
Capitol Riot (January 6, 2021): This is the single largest incident of right-wing political violence in the period. The FBI has arrested over 1,350 individuals in connection with the event. Charges range from trespassing and parading to seditious conspiracy for a small number of organized groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.
Comparative Scale: While the Capitol riot was a singular, massive event, the violence associated with left-wing groups was far more widespread. In 2020 alone, the rioting, looting, and arson associated with BLM protests occurred in over 200 cities across the United States, resulting in an estimated $1-2 billion in insured damagesâthe costliest civil disorder in U.S. history.
2. Database Tracking (ACLED & TPD):
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED): A 2021 report by ACLED found that over 90% of the riots and violent demonstrations recorded in the summer of 2020 were associated with the BLM movement.
The Princeton Bridging Divides Initiative (BDI): Their tracking data for 2023-2024 shows a continued trend of left-wing activists being the primary instigators of violence at protests and rallies, often under the banner of âantifaâ or related causes.
3. Terrorism Designations and Law Enforcement Focus:
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assessments: Multiple DHS National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletins throughout 2020-2022 highlighted âracially or ethnically motivated violent extremistsâ (a category that includes some right-wing actors) and âanarchist violent extremistsâ as primary threats. However, the operational activityâthe number of actual violent eventsâhas been heavily weighted towards the anarchist/antifa side.
FBI Director Christopher Wray Testimony (2021): In congressional testimony, Director Wray stated that the FBIâs number of domestic terrorism investigations had roughly doubled since spring 2020. While he mentioned a rise in investigations into âracially motivated violent extremism,â he also specifically highlighted âanarchist violent extremistsâ and âanti-government/anti-authority violent extremistsâ as significant sources of violence.
4. Analysis of Fatalities:
Murder:
Right-Wing: The most significant fatality event was the Capitol riot, which resulted in the deaths of 5 people, including a police officer.
Left-Wing: During the 2020 riots, over 30 people were killed, including federal officers (e.g., David Dorn, a retired police captain shot by looters), and numerous other citizens caught in the violence.
Assassination Attempts/Plots:
The June 2022 arrest of an armed man near Justice Brett Kavanaughâs home with intent to murder is a clear example of politically motivated left-wing violence.
The targeted shooting and murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk in September 2025 by a left-wing radical is the most recent and stark example of escalating lethal intent from the far-left.
While both sides contain violent elements, the empirical data from 2019 to the present day demonstrates that the scale, frequency, and cost of political violence perpetrated by left-wing actors vastly exceed that of right-wing actors. The narrative that right-wing violence is a significantly greater threat is not supported by the actual data on events, arrests, and material damage. The violence from the left has been more diffuse, more destructive to property, and has resulted in a higher body count. The murder of Charlie Kirk is a tragic indicator that this trend of targeted left-wing political violence is continuing.