Poll: A Third of Americans Say It Can Be Justified to ‘Take Violent Action’ Against Government

Approximately 1 in 3 Americans say citizens can be justified in taking “violent action” against the government, poll shows.

According to a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll, respondents were asked, “Do you think it is ever justified for citizens to take violent action against the government, or is it never justified?”

Sixty-two percent believe it is “never justified,” and 4% had no opinion. Meanwhile, 34% say it can be justified.

As the Post notes, “People’s reasoning for what they considered acceptable violence against the government varied, from what they considered to be overreaching coronavirus restrictions, to the disenfranchisement of minority voters, to the oppression of Americans.”

The analysis continues, “Responses to an open-ended question on the survey about hypothetical justifications included repeated mentions of ‘autocracy,’ ‘tyranny,’ ‘corruption’ and a loss of freedoms.”

Twenty-three percent of Democrats believe “violent action against the government is sometimes justified” compared to 41% of Independents and 40% of Republicans who say the same.

The poll comes almost a year after rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol. A CBS News/YouGov showed 68% say the events at the Capitol were “a sign of increasing political violence” while 32% called it an “isolated incident.”