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A new survey found 47% of U.S. voters believe colleges should ban pro-Palestinian protests, compared to 30% who say the demonstrations should be permitted. A slightly smaller number — 41% — would ban pro-Israel protests.
The vast majority of voters — 76% — also said they support colleges asking police to protect campuses from violence.
The survey was conducted April 27-28, before police arrested pro-Palestinian demonstrators at Columbia University and before police tore down a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles. The UCLA protesters had previously been attacked by pro-Israel demonstrators.
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More voters in the survey back humanitarian aid for Palestinians (58%) than support military aid to Israel (47%), while 60% want to see a ceasefire.
Nearly half — 46% — of those surveyed support colleges condemning Hamas’ attacks on Israel, compared to a third who think colleges should condemn Israel’s war in Gaza.
Fewer than 2 in 5 voters support the call for universities to divest in Israel, while 3 in 10 had no opinion on the matter. Support for divestment was strongest among the wealthiest and most highly educated households, which, Morning Consult pointed out, are the cohorts colleges solicit donations from.
