(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — One in four Americans believe there are situations where it’s appropriate to engage in violent protests against the government.
That’s according to a new poll conducted by several universities, including Northwestern University, which surveyed more than 22,000 Americans from all 50 states.
One in 10 Americans say violence is justified “right now.”
"This is a concerning finding,” Northwestern political scientist James Druckman said in a news release. “While it does not suggest that people are currently arming with the intent to engage in political violence, it does reveal that people perceive the country as being at a place where such behavior is reasonable. This coheres with widespread concerns about democratic backsliding.”
The poll found gender to be a more significant factor than political affiliation in overall acceptance of violent protest.
Women were far less likely than men to say violence is “definitely” or “probably” okay, the survey results indicated.
Republicans overall are just 4 points more likely than Democrats to agree that violent protest can ever be justifiable, the results said.
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