Political violence is the use of force by a group with a political purpose or motivation to advance political objectives, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED). According to ACLED, a politically violent event is “a single altercation where force is often used by one or more groups to a political end.”
The group, which tracks political violence, also tracks events that might not result in violence, like protests and nonviolent activities, to show how such events might be precursors to political violence or a “period of disorder.” Worries about political violence, especially involving firearms, have cropped up more and more in recent years in the U.S., especially during election years.