Americans across party lines say no to political violence

Most respondents to a survey conducted by UC Davis researchers in 2022 said political violence in 17 different scenarios is never justified.(CN) — The justification of political violence is often a flashpoint in national debates, starting from the formation of the United States to present day headlines.While a study published Wednesday in the open access journal PloS One suggests those whose believe political violence is justified under certain situations fall along partisan lines, generally, most people, regardless of political affiliation, do not agree with political violence.University of California Davis School of Medicine researchers conducted the survey of over 8,600 people between May 13 and June 2, 2022, and repeated it annually.“Across all years of the survey, we’ve seen that most participants reject political violence all together, and that most of those who consider it potentially justifiable are not willing to commit violence themselves,” lead author Garen Wintemute said in an email to Courthouse News.“These are very hopeful findings. While support for political violence has generally been higher on the political right than on the political left, willingness to commit violence has not," he said.Respondents were first asked how they politically align themselves as either Republican or Democrat, and if they see themselves as a “strong” or “not very strong” party adherent.Additionally, they were asked about their political beliefs, trying to suss out extremists like QAnon followers, and believers in the “great replacement” idea by asking if the surveyed agreed with the statement, “In America, native born white people are being replaced by immigrants.”Then they were asked about 17 specific situations about political violence, such as “what do you think about the use of force or violence to stop voter fraud” or “to stop a protest or demonstration,” with respondents answering they think it’s never justified, sometimes justified or always justified.For the survey, political violence was defined as “physical force strong enough that it could cause pain or injury to a person.”Some results from the 2022 data indicated higher percentages of Republicans, about 35.3% to 49.5%, than Democrats, about 24.7% to 26.7%, considered violence to be justified to advance at least one of the political objectives, and endorse violence for more specific objectives.Furthermore, “strong” Republicans were more likely to anticipate being armed in a future politically violent situation over “strong” Democrats, but overall, Republicans weren’t more willing than Democrats to engage in political violence personally.Based on the respondents’ answers, Wintemute said, most Americans repudiate political violence completely.“These findings are clear,” he said. “Entrapment in a spiral of escalating political violence is not inevitable in the United States. Those who promote political violence should recognize that they do not have the public’s support and that promoting violence may exact a political cost.“We who reject political violence must make our rejection known to our families, friends, and larger social networks. A public climate of non-acceptance for violence can help reduce the likelihood of it occurring.”Wintemute said the 2026 findings published earlier this month fit the same basic pattern. Since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term, the researchers asked for respondent’s political party affiliation as well as their relationship to the MAGA movement.Wintemute noted that the publication of 2026 data before 2022 data was unfortunate, as the PloS One study was under review since February 2024.“The review process took an inordinate amount of time, for which the journal apologized,” he said.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads