Fact check: How does left-wing violence compare to right-wing violence in terms of frequency and severity?

1. Summary of the results

The analyses provided suggest that left-wing violence is less frequent and less severe compared to right-wing violence ^{[1] [2]}. According to the data, right-wing terrorists have murdered 391 people (about 11% of the total) in the United States since 1975, whereas left-wing terrorists have murdered 65 people (about 2% of the total) ^[3]. Additionally, Islamist terrorists have committed the majority of murders (87% of the total) ^[3]. The sources also highlight that right-wing domestic terrorism accounts for roughly 75-80% of fatalities and about 85-90% of incidents, while left-wing extremist acts represent only 10-15% of incidents and under 5% of deaths ^[4]. Furthermore, recent far-right extremist attacks are far more numerous and lethal than far-left incidents ^[5]. However, it is essential to consider the broader context, as the UN overview discusses a global rise in violent extremism, mentioning an increase in far-right attacks in Western Europe and North America ^[6].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Some sources provide a comparative analysis of violent left- and right-wing extremist groups in the United States, highlighting their similarities and differences in ideologies, goals, tactics, and involvement in violent crimes ^[7]. However, this analysis does not provide specific data on frequency and severity ^[7]. Moreover, the relationship between ideology and political violence is complex, and left-wing radicals were less likely to use violence than right-wing and Islamist radicals ^[2]. The sources also note the historical shift from left-wing to right-wing political violence ^[5]. To better understand the comparison between left-wing and right-wing violence, it is crucial to consider the global rise in violent extremism and the increase in far-right attacks in Western Europe and North America ^[6]. Additionally, the ideologies, goals, tactics, and involvement in violent crimes of left- and right-wing extremist groups should be examined ^[7].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement may be biased towards implying that left-wing violence is a significant concern, when in fact, the data suggests that right-wing violence is more frequent and severe ^{[1] [3] [4] [5]}. The sources generally agree that right-wing violence is more deadly and frequent than left-wing violence ^{[3] [4] [5]}. However, some sources may be biased towards downplaying the threat of left-wing violence or overemphasizing the threat of right-wing violence ^{[1] [4]}. It is essential to consider the potential misinformation and bias in the original statement and the sources themselves ^{[1] [3] [4] [5]}. The Cato Institute and the University of Maryland's START program may benefit from emphasizing the relatively low frequency and severity of left-wing violence, while the Journal of Democracy and the Conversation may benefit from highlighting the rise of right-wing extremist violence ^{[1] [3] [4] [5]}.