How do hate crime rates compare between left and right extremist groups in the United States?

Checked on September 22, 2025
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1. Summary of the results

The analyses provided suggest that hate crime rates are higher among right extremist groups in the United States [1] [2]. According to the analyses, right-wing extremist violence is more frequent and deadly than left-wing violence, with data showing that right-wing attacks account for approximately 75% to 80% of U.S. domestic terrorism deaths since 2001 [1]. The Anti-Defamation League also reports that right-wing ideologies have fueled more than 70% of all extremist attacks and domestic terrorism plots in the United States since 2002 [2]. Additionally, the Justice Department has reported that the number of far-right attacks in the United States continues to outpace all other types of terrorism and domestic violent extremism [2]. While some sources note that assessing political violence is inherently subjective [3], the majority of the analyses suggest that right-wing extremist violence is more prevalent than left-wing violence [1] [2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Some sources highlight the rarity of politically motivated terrorism in the United States, accounting for a small percentage of all murders [4]. However, this context does not necessarily contradict the finding that right-wing extremist violence is more frequent and deadly than left-wing violence. Another missing context is the comparison of hate crime rates between left and right extremist groups, which is not explicitly provided in the analyses [5] [6]. Alternative viewpoints, such as the claim that left-wing violence is on the rise, are not supported by the majority of the analyses [3]. It is also worth noting that the designation of antifa as a terrorist organization is not directly relevant to comparing hate crime rates between left and right extremist groups [7].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement asks for a comparison of hate crime rates between left and right extremist groups, which may imply a false equivalence between the two [5]. The analyses suggest that right-wing extremist violence is more frequent and deadly than left-wing violence, which may indicate that the original statement downplays the severity of right-wing extremism [1] [2]. Additionally, the statement may lack context regarding the rarity of politically motivated terrorism in the United States [4]. The sources that benefit from this framing are those that seek to minimize the threat of right-wing extremism or exaggerate the threat of left-wing extremism [3] [7]. However, the majority of the analyses suggest that right-wing extremist violence is a more significant concern in terms of hate crime rates [1] [2].

Want to dive deeper?
What are the most common types of hate crimes committed by left and right extremist groups in the US?
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Which states have the highest rates of hate crimes attributed to left and right extremist groups?
How do hate crime rates compare between extremist groups and other types of hate crime perpetrators in the US?