A new Morning Consult survey found that 47% of likely voters support banning anti-Israel protests on college campuses, with 76% backing police intervention to protect students. The poll comes amid growing tensions on US campuses, with over 1,000 students arrested during anti-Israel protests since mid-April.
The survey revealed that 59% of Republicans and 41% of Democrats support banning the protests, while 41% also believe pro-Israeli protests should be barred. Additionally, 42% of voters oppose universities condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The poll results come as college students face intimidation and harassment from anti-Israel demonstrators, with some Jewish students forced off campus for their safety. Congressional Republicans have criticized university leaders for not taking swift action to stop the protests, which have spread across over 25 campuses.
The Morning Consult survey also found that less than 40% of American voters support US colleges divesting from companies doing business with Israel, a key principle of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Some lawmakers, like Rep. Ritchie Torres, have suggested installing third-party antisemitism monitors at schools receiving US taxpayer funding.
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59% of Republicans and 41% of Democrats support banning the protests, while 41% also believe pro-Israeli protests should be barred.
This sounds like people imagine protests themselves can be banned, which is chilling. This is America. People have an inherent, G-d-given, unalienable right to protest, and no government has the right to prevent them. But nobody has a right to commit acts of violence or other crimes while they’re protesting, and those who do should be arrested for that. But peaceful, law-abiding antisemites must be allowed to go on protesting. And since pro-Israel protesters do not commit any crimes, they can’t be barred, and it’s chilling that so many people don’t care and want to bar them anyway.