A growing number of young Americans believe political violence can be justified, Politico reported Monday on its latest survey through Public First.
The poll found that 24% of Americans say there are circumstances in which political violence can be justified, compared to 64% who say it is never acceptable, according to Politico’s report on the survey. Among younger adults, that number rises sharply, with more than one in three under the age of 45 agreeing there are circumstances where political violence is warranted. There was “little partisan divide” on the issue, according to Politico, though neither the precise breakdown on the numbers nor the phrasing of the questions were included in the report.
The findings come amid a surge of politically motivated attacks and threats in recent months, including the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk in September, the attacks on several Democratic lawmakers, assassination attempts on President Donald Trump, and recent assaults on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities.
Fifty-five percent of survey respondents expect politically motivated attacks in the country to increase in the coming years, and over half say it’s very or somewhat likely a political candidate will be assassinated within the next five years.
The survey was conducted from Oct. 18 to 21 among 2,051 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of 2.2 percentage points.
Previous surveys have revealed similar patterns, particularly among Democrats and younger Americans.
A Napolitan News Service poll conducted shortly after the assassination of Kirk found that a staggering 26% of those aged 18 to 34 answered “yes” to the question: “While it is always difficult to wish ill of another human being, is America better off now that Charlie Kirk has been killed?” Among Democrats, 24% responded affirmatively, while 31% of respondents who identify with Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s policies shared that view.
A separate survey by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression found that over a third of college-aged students are open to the use of violence to stop a campus speech.
Kirk was shot and killed on Sept. 12 while speaking to students at an event at Utah Valley University. The man accused of killing Kirk reportedly lived with a transgender-identifying “partner,” and family members told authorities that he had become increasingly radicalized over time and embraced left-wing and LGBTQ ideologies.
In a recent example of how political violence and its imagery are being normalized, a prominent far-left YouTuber sparked backlash over Halloween weekend after sharing a fake “Erika Kirk” costume image that mocked the newly widowed conservative activist as a “grifter.”
The surge in political violence and threats has not been limited to public figures.
The Department of Homeland Security reported in October that death threats against ICE agents have risen by 8,000%, while the Department of Justice brought its first federal terrorism case against two people connected to Antifa who allegedly coordinated a July attack on a Texas federal immigration detention facility.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].
