The characterization of Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests as "mostly fiery" stems from a controversial CNN chyron in August 2020, describing protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, as "fiery but mostly peaceful" despite visible flames in the background. This framing has been widely criticized and memed, but it’s worth unpacking the data to address your question directly.
The vast majority of BLM protests in 2020 were peaceful. According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), which analyzed over 7,750 BLM-related demonstrations across the U.S. from May 26 to August 22, 2020, more than 93% were non-violent, with no reports of property damage, looting, or physical confrontations. Fewer than 220 events (about 5-6%) involved violence, such as vandalism, arson, or clashes with police or counter-protesters. Of the 633 incidents coded as riots, 88% were linked to BLM activists, but this still represents a small fraction of the total protests—less than 570 events
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