Fact check: What are the most notable cases of left wing violence in the United States since 2020?

1. Summary of the results

The analyses provided offer a range of perspectives on left-wing violence in the United States since 2020. Notable cases of left-wing violence are reported by ^[1], including the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the fatal shooting of Minnesota Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, an arson attack on the Pennsylvania governor's residence, and a shooting at the New Mexico Republican Party headquarters ^[1]. However, it is crucial to note that the accuracy of these specific incidents as attributed to left-wing violence needs verification, as the sources provided do not universally confirm these events or their political motivations. On a broader scale, ^[2] provides data indicating that left-wing terrorists have murdered 65 people since 1975, accounting for about 2% of all politically motivated murders ^[2]. This suggests that while left-wing violence does occur, it represents a relatively small fraction of overall politically motivated violence. Additionally, ^[2] offers a similar perspective, stating that left-wing terrorists have committed about 2% of the total murders since 1975, but also notes that this accounts for 22% of murders since 2020, indicating a possible increase in recent years ^[2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several sources, such as ^[3] and ^[4], focus on the threat of right-wing terrorism, stating that right-wing attacks and plots account for the majority of all terrorist incidents in the United States since 1994 ^[3], and providing examples of incidents and arrests related to right-wing extremist groups ^[4]. These sources imply that the focus solely on left-wing violence might overlook the broader context of political violence in the United States. Furthermore, ^[5] and ^[6] provide context on trends in radicalization and the comparison of political violence by different extremist groups, suggesting that the issue of left-wing violence is part of a larger, more complex problem of political extremism ^{[5] [6]}. The source ^[7] discusses left-wing extremism in India and does not provide relevant information on the United States, highlighting the importance of geographical context in analyzing political violence ^[7].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement's focus on left-wing violence in the United States since 2020 might be seen as narrow or misleading if it does not acknowledge the relative scale and complexity of the issue, as suggested by sources like ^[2] and ^[2]. The implication that left-wing violence is a predominant or escalating threat is not universally supported by the analyses, which often contextualize it as part of a broader spectrum of political violence ^[2]. Sources like ^[3] and ^[4], by emphasizing right-wing terrorism, suggest that any discussion of political violence should consider the full range of extremist ideologies to avoid misinformation or bias ^{[3] [4]}. The benefits of a focused narrative on left-wing violence might accrue to those seeking to highlight specific political threats, but such a narrative could also obscure the complexity of political violence and mislead the public about the relative dangers posed by different forms of extremism ^{[1] [8]}.