Protests at American colleges over the Israel-Hamas war are dividing Democrats and unifying Republicans

New polling data released this week from USA Today and Suffolk University indicates that Republicans have more unified views on protests against the Israel-Hamas war than Democrats.

These protests, which include encampments, have sprung up at college campuses across the U.S. in recent weeks and often hinge on demands that schools divest from Israel. After an Oct. 7 terrorist attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Israel declared war on the group. Since then, there has been increased criticism and concern about Palestinian civilians left in Gaza – tens of thousands have already died, according to local health officials.

USA Today/Suffolk surveyed 1,000 registered voters about the protests from April 30 to May 3.

Nearly 80% of voters who plan to cast ballots for former President Donald Trump – the GOP’s presumptive candidate – in November said they oppose the protests. Just 9% said they support the protestors’ demands but oppose their tactics.

On the other hand, 30% of voters who plan to cast ballots for current President Joe Biden, a Democrat, support the protests. Even more (39%) agree with the protestors’ demands but oppose their tactics.

Democrats were more aligned with each other when asked if the protesters were anti-Semitic (57% said they aren’t) or pro-Hamas (69% said they aren’t). That’s compared to 64% of Republicans who said the demonstrations reflect anti-Semitism and 60% of Republicans who said they believe the demonstrators are pro-Hamas.

Overall, 67% of voters said they were concerned that the demonstrations will result in violent confrontations. More than 2,000 have already been arrested at the protests, according to Axios.

Only 19% of those surveyed by USA Today and Suffolk University said they support the protests and 24% said they agree with the protestors’ demands but oppose the way they are conducting themselves. Younger voters under age 35 were the most likely to support the protesters at 35% and 27% said they support the protestors demands but oppose their tactics.

Still, that’s less than half of voters from that age group, which USA Today described as a “key demographic” for Democrats. While some polls have shown that the president’s approach to the war is impacting Biden’s performance among young voters, some commentators have warned people not to think of them as a single-issue voting bloc.

“The narrative that violence in the Middle East is dictating how young Americans will vote for president has irked me, to be honest,” said Ja’han Jones, writing for MSNBC. “Maybe it’s because much of this coverage has obscured the reality that peace in the Middle East – and between Israelis and Palestinians, in particular – has been an elusive goal for multiple administrations for decades.”

Axios also reported that, while college protests against Israel’s war in Gaza have been dominating headlines, “only a sliver of students are participating or view it as a top issue,” citing a new Generation Lab survey of 1,250 people conducted from May 3 to May 6 shared exclusively with the outlet. In fact, the poll results revealed that the war might not impact Biden’s appeal to young voters as much as once thought.

“Only a small minority (8%) of college students have participated in either side of the protests, the survey of 1,250 college students found,” said Axios. Out of nine options, students ranked the conflict in the Middle East as the least important issue facing them, behind health care reform, racial justice and civil rights, economic fairness and opportunity, education funding and access, and climate change.

Additionally, a large majority (81%) of students support holding protesters accountable for destroying property or illegally occupying buildings.

According to USA Today, Biden “walked a careful line,” last week while condemning violence on college campuses and also defending the free-speech rights of protestors.

“He has tried to balance support for Israel with calls for more humane treatment of Palestinians in Gaza who have seen families killed and communities destroyed in assaults that followed the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel,” as famine in Gaza becomes a rising threat, said the outlet.