The actions of protesters during demonstrations following George Floyd’s death are most likely to be defended by young and liberal people in the United States, according to a new poll.
The Monmouth poll released Wednesday showed that 22% of respondents ages 18 to 34 think the protesters were “fully justified” in their actions, which have been violent and/or destructive in some cases, with only 14% of those between the ages 35 to 54 agreeing. Only 29% of young people said they believe the actions of protesters were “not justified at all,” compared to 44% for those ages 35 to 54.
There was also a stark divide among liberals and conservatives on the issue, with 29% of liberals believing the protesters’ actions are “fully justified” compared to only 9% of conservatives. The poll showed that 57% of conservatives did not believe the protesters were justified, with only 20% of liberals agreeing.
Respondents found common ground when asked if the anger that caused the protests to happen was justified. Regardless of age, income, or political ideology, every group’s highest percentage felt the anger that caused these protests was “fully justified.”
Demonstrations have broken out across the country in response to the death of Floyd, an unarmed black man, in police custody last week. In some instances, the protests advocating against police brutality and systemic racism have turned violent with people looting, rioting, vandalizing, destroying property, and clashing with law enforcement.
The poll was conducted from May 28 to June 1 and surveyed 807 adults from around the country. The margin of error was 3.5 percentage points.
