To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.
New statistics from the U.S. Crisis Monitor and the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) show that police used violence against leftwing protesters three times as often as against rightwing demonstrators. (Photo: Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
Black Lives Matter, Indigenous, anti-war, and other progressive activists reacted with a complete lack of surprise to data reported by The Guardian on Thursday that shows U.S. police are three times more likely to use violence against left-wing and social justice protesters than against those on the political right.
The report, based on statistics from from the U.S. Crisis Monitor--a database created this spring by researchers at Princeton and the nonprofit Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project (ACLED)--found that the overwhelming majority of the thousands of total protests across the nation over the past year have been peaceful.
While most demonstrations in general were not attacked by police, officers used tear gas, rubber bullets, beatings with batons, and other violence against protesters at 511 left-wing events as opposed to just 33 right-wing ones since April 2020, according to ACLED data.
\u201cSince April, US police have used teargas, rubber bullets, beatings with batons, and other force against demonstrators at: \n\n-511 Black Lives Matter and other leftwing protests \n\n-33 rightwing protests \n\nhttps://t.co/gxwlNWKf61\u201d— Lois Beckett (@Lois Beckett) 1610623304
The Guardian analyzed ACLED statistics and determined that 4.7% of protests organized by leftist groups were subjected to police use of force, while only 1.4% of demonstrations by right-wing groups saw police violence.
Ironically--or intentionally, according to some critics--people protesting police violence were much more likely to be subjected to that very violence, and the use of force disparity only widened in relation to peaceful demonstrations. The analysis revealed that police were 3.5 times more likely to attack people at left-wing protests where no violence, vandalism, or looting occurred than at similarly peaceful right-wing actions.
Left-wing protests analyzed include mostly Black Lives Matter, but also actions by Abolish ICE, Democratic Socialists of America, and the NAACP. Right-wing demonstrations include Blue Lives Matter, the QAnon and "Stop the Steal" conspiracy theories, and protests against Covid-19-related public health restrictions over the past year.
Unsurprisingly, left-wing activists were not surprised by the report, with reactions on social media ranging from feigned shock to "water is wet"-type comments. Human rights attorney Qasim Rashid called the report "a surprise to no one paying attention."
\u201cNonviolent protest movements like the #PoorPeoplesCampaign & #MoralMondays have been met with arrests. This is in stark contrast to what we witnessed on #January6th.\n\nWatch our full video: https://t.co/kHsJC8yMRR\n\nRead our statement: https://t.co/eOFwmi9vKF\u201d— Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II (@Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II) 1610661717
Not only have police attacked peaceful Indigenous, racial justice, economic justice, and other protesters in recent years, in some cases state and local law enforcement officers have actively worked with neo-Nazi factions and other far-right groups to target antiracism demonstrators. The FBI has also repeatedly reported a significant white supremacist presence among U.S. law enforcement agencies. Journalists and innocent bystanders have also been brutally attacked by police at or near leftwing demonstrations.
Most recently, commentators have noted the stark difference between the largely hands-off police treatment of the right-wing insurrectionist mob that perpetrated the deadly January 6, 2021 invasion of the U.S. Capitol--which killed one police officer--and the brutal law enforcement attacks on peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C. last summer that followed the killings of Black people including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and others.
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today! |
Black Lives Matter, Indigenous, anti-war, and other progressive activists reacted with a complete lack of surprise to data reported by The Guardian on Thursday that shows U.S. police are three times more likely to use violence against left-wing and social justice protesters than against those on the political right.
The report, based on statistics from from the U.S. Crisis Monitor--a database created this spring by researchers at Princeton and the nonprofit Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project (ACLED)--found that the overwhelming majority of the thousands of total protests across the nation over the past year have been peaceful.
While most demonstrations in general were not attacked by police, officers used tear gas, rubber bullets, beatings with batons, and other violence against protesters at 511 left-wing events as opposed to just 33 right-wing ones since April 2020, according to ACLED data.
\u201cSince April, US police have used teargas, rubber bullets, beatings with batons, and other force against demonstrators at: \n\n-511 Black Lives Matter and other leftwing protests \n\n-33 rightwing protests \n\nhttps://t.co/gxwlNWKf61\u201d— Lois Beckett (@Lois Beckett) 1610623304
The Guardian analyzed ACLED statistics and determined that 4.7% of protests organized by leftist groups were subjected to police use of force, while only 1.4% of demonstrations by right-wing groups saw police violence.
Ironically--or intentionally, according to some critics--people protesting police violence were much more likely to be subjected to that very violence, and the use of force disparity only widened in relation to peaceful demonstrations. The analysis revealed that police were 3.5 times more likely to attack people at left-wing protests where no violence, vandalism, or looting occurred than at similarly peaceful right-wing actions.
Left-wing protests analyzed include mostly Black Lives Matter, but also actions by Abolish ICE, Democratic Socialists of America, and the NAACP. Right-wing demonstrations include Blue Lives Matter, the QAnon and "Stop the Steal" conspiracy theories, and protests against Covid-19-related public health restrictions over the past year.
Unsurprisingly, left-wing activists were not surprised by the report, with reactions on social media ranging from feigned shock to "water is wet"-type comments. Human rights attorney Qasim Rashid called the report "a surprise to no one paying attention."
\u201cNonviolent protest movements like the #PoorPeoplesCampaign & #MoralMondays have been met with arrests. This is in stark contrast to what we witnessed on #January6th.\n\nWatch our full video: https://t.co/kHsJC8yMRR\n\nRead our statement: https://t.co/eOFwmi9vKF\u201d— Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II (@Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II) 1610661717
Not only have police attacked peaceful Indigenous, racial justice, economic justice, and other protesters in recent years, in some cases state and local law enforcement officers have actively worked with neo-Nazi factions and other far-right groups to target antiracism demonstrators. The FBI has also repeatedly reported a significant white supremacist presence among U.S. law enforcement agencies. Journalists and innocent bystanders have also been brutally attacked by police at or near leftwing demonstrations.
Most recently, commentators have noted the stark difference between the largely hands-off police treatment of the right-wing insurrectionist mob that perpetrated the deadly January 6, 2021 invasion of the U.S. Capitol--which killed one police officer--and the brutal law enforcement attacks on peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C. last summer that followed the killings of Black people including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and others.
Black Lives Matter, Indigenous, anti-war, and other progressive activists reacted with a complete lack of surprise to data reported by The Guardian on Thursday that shows U.S. police are three times more likely to use violence against left-wing and social justice protesters than against those on the political right.
The report, based on statistics from from the U.S. Crisis Monitor--a database created this spring by researchers at Princeton and the nonprofit Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project (ACLED)--found that the overwhelming majority of the thousands of total protests across the nation over the past year have been peaceful.
While most demonstrations in general were not attacked by police, officers used tear gas, rubber bullets, beatings with batons, and other violence against protesters at 511 left-wing events as opposed to just 33 right-wing ones since April 2020, according to ACLED data.
\u201cSince April, US police have used teargas, rubber bullets, beatings with batons, and other force against demonstrators at: \n\n-511 Black Lives Matter and other leftwing protests \n\n-33 rightwing protests \n\nhttps://t.co/gxwlNWKf61\u201d— Lois Beckett (@Lois Beckett) 1610623304
The Guardian analyzed ACLED statistics and determined that 4.7% of protests organized by leftist groups were subjected to police use of force, while only 1.4% of demonstrations by right-wing groups saw police violence.
Ironically--or intentionally, according to some critics--people protesting police violence were much more likely to be subjected to that very violence, and the use of force disparity only widened in relation to peaceful demonstrations. The analysis revealed that police were 3.5 times more likely to attack people at left-wing protests where no violence, vandalism, or looting occurred than at similarly peaceful right-wing actions.
Left-wing protests analyzed include mostly Black Lives Matter, but also actions by Abolish ICE, Democratic Socialists of America, and the NAACP. Right-wing demonstrations include Blue Lives Matter, the QAnon and "Stop the Steal" conspiracy theories, and protests against Covid-19-related public health restrictions over the past year.
Unsurprisingly, left-wing activists were not surprised by the report, with reactions on social media ranging from feigned shock to "water is wet"-type comments. Human rights attorney Qasim Rashid called the report "a surprise to no one paying attention."
\u201cNonviolent protest movements like the #PoorPeoplesCampaign & #MoralMondays have been met with arrests. This is in stark contrast to what we witnessed on #January6th.\n\nWatch our full video: https://t.co/kHsJC8yMRR\n\nRead our statement: https://t.co/eOFwmi9vKF\u201d— Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II (@Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II) 1610661717
Not only have police attacked peaceful Indigenous, racial justice, economic justice, and other protesters in recent years, in some cases state and local law enforcement officers have actively worked with neo-Nazi factions and other far-right groups to target antiracism demonstrators. The FBI has also repeatedly reported a significant white supremacist presence among U.S. law enforcement agencies. Journalists and innocent bystanders have also been brutally attacked by police at or near leftwing demonstrations.
Most recently, commentators have noted the stark difference between the largely hands-off police treatment of the right-wing insurrectionist mob that perpetrated the deadly January 6, 2021 invasion of the U.S. Capitol--which killed one police officer--and the brutal law enforcement attacks on peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C. last summer that followed the killings of Black people including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and others.
