Democrats are divided over the anti-Israel protests that have erupted on college campuses across the country this spring over Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza, according to a new national poll.
And the USA Today/Suffolk University survey released on Wednesday indicates that Republicans are mostly united in their opposition to the demonstrations, some of which have turned violent in recent weeks.
The protests in support of Palestinians have grabbed plenty of attention on cable news and online coverage. Demonstrators have criticized President Biden’s support for Israel in its battle with Hamas and have called on colleges and universities to cut financial ties with the government in Jerusalem.
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Anti-Israel students lock arms and chant as they braced for New York Police Department officers to raid campus after Columbia University President Minouche Shafik called on the NYPD to dismantle encampments and remove individuals from Hamilton Hall, Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (Seyma Bayram via AP)
According to the poll, 32% of Democrats questioned say they support the demonstrations, with 38% saying they agree with the protesters’ demands but oppose the way they are conducting themselves. Seventeen percent of Democrats said they oppose the protests.
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It’s a different story with Republicans, 81% of whom said they oppose the protests. Four percent of Republicans questioned said they support the demonstrations, with 9% saying they agree with the protesters’ demands but oppose the way they are conducting themselves.
Hundreds of anti-Israel students protest on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)
Among all voters, the poll spotlights a generational divide.
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“Support for the protests was highest among younger voters,” David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center, wrote in the poll’s release. “The oldest voters, those 65 and older, is the age group that is the most supportive of Biden, followed by those ages 35 to 49. These older voters are also the most aligned against the protests.”
A car that attempted to drive through a crowd of anti-Israel protesters on the Portland State University campus is seen parked and damaged on a campus walkway on Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Portland, Oregon. After the driver fled on foot, the protesters damaged the car. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
Asked whether the anti-Israel demonstrations reflect antisemitism, 41% said yes and 40% said no.
The Suffolk University poll for USA Today was conducted April 30-May 3, with 1,000 registered voters nationwide questioned. The survey’s overall sampling error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
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