Hot-button political issues are a leading reason for violence at places of worship. Not every one of these incidents is committed by a member of an organized extremist group—whether right-, left-, or alt-leaning—but all are concerning and deserve in-depth review to determine how they might affect future house of worship security. Are the attacks planned and organized or a random mob reacting to a recent event, choosing to act in anger instead of creating a dialogue toward reconciliation and peace? Have criminal gangs evolved into political extremists? Are these events perpetrated by lone actors or groups?
