Fact check: Right wing violence vs left wing violence

1. Summary of the results

The analyses provided suggest that right-wing violence is more frequent and deadly than left-wing violence ^{[1] [2]}. According to these sources, right-wing attacks account for approximately 75-80% of domestic terrorism deaths since 2001 ^[1]. Additionally, radical acts perpetrated by individuals associated with left-wing causes are less likely to be violent ^[3]. The data also shows that most Americans say violence to achieve political goals is never justified, with only 11% saying it can be justified ^[4]. Furthermore, there is a growing concern of far-right or extreme right-wing ideology as a transnational threat, with a 320% rise in attacks between 2014 and 2018 ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

A key aspect missing from the original statement is the historical context of right-wing terrorism in the United States, which describes the presence of well-organized networks of extremist right-wing groups, including the Ku Klux Klan and various incarnations of the Nazi Party ^[6]. Another important context is the global level of violence, where right-wing and Islamist extremists are more likely to engage in violent acts ^[3]. Alternative viewpoints, such as the claim that left-wing violence is more prevalent, are contradicted by the data showing that right-wing terrorists account for 54% of the 81 people killed as a result of political violence since 2020, compared to 22% killed by left-wing activists ^[2]. It is also worth noting that most Americans overall are far more likely to say it's always or usually unacceptable to be happy about the death of a public figure they oppose ^[4].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement "Right wing violence vs left wing violence" may be misleading as it implies a false equivalence between the two ^{[1] [2]}. The data suggests that right-wing violence is a more significant threat, and the statement may be politicizing efforts to fight political violence and ignoring violence on the political right ^[7]. This framing may benefit those who want to downplay the threat of right-wing violence and shift the focus to left-wing violence, such as President Trump and his administration, who have been criticized for targeting left-wing organizations despite data suggesting that right-wing violence is a more significant threat ^[7].