With pro-Hamas protests breaking out across the nation including Arizona’s universities’ campuses, there is interest in what students’ attitudes are.
In May, Intelligent.com surveyed 763 current full-time U.S. college students to understand how they feel about the pro-Palestinian protests happening on college campuses.
The survey found:
- 55% of college students say there are pro-Palestinian protests on their campus
- 65% of students are very supportive (36%) or somewhat supportive (29%) of the protests happening on college campuses
- The plurality of students (31%) say TikTok is the primary place they’ve learned about the Israel-Palestine conflict
- More than one-third of protest supporters are in favor of the use of violence and hate speech
- More than half of protest supporters say they sympathize with Hamas
- 1 in 10 protestors admit to having an unfavorable opinion of Jewish people
- 9% of college students don’t believe Israel has the right to exist; 19% are unsure, and 71% say it does
Nearly Two-Thirds of College Students Support The Protests
More than half (55%) of college students say they have pro-Palestinian protests on their campus, and the majority (84%) say they understand completely (45%) or a little (39%) why students are engaging in pro-Palestinian protests.
However, the plurality of students (31%) say TikTok is the primary place they’ve learned about the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Nearly two-thirds (65%) of college students surveyed say they are very supportive (36%) or somewhat supportive (29%) of the pro-Palestinian protests, while 24% are unsure. In contrast, 11% are somewhat opposed (5%) or very opposed (6%).
When asked why they support the pro-Palestinian protests, students offered a range of answers, including:
- “I believe it is our fundamental right to fight for the freedom of the Palestinian people. I think what Israel is doing right now is genocide. They are killing innocent people because of the resistance Hamas has been giving. FREE FREE PALESTINE.”
- “I think it’s a good cause.”
- “People have a right to assemble and have their voices heard. I’m not sure of the debate’s specifics, but I’m against war in general and wish them well for their cause.”
- “I don’t know much about it.”
- “I support all protests, and these ones are good for raising awareness, even if they don’t really ‘solve’ anything. People are trying to help, and that’s admirable.”
- “It’s been about 70 years of genocide from Israel; it was never self-defense as they mostly target children and babies.”
- “No one should be forced out of their homes over zionists.”
- “I think that Palestine hasn’t done anything wrong, homes are getting destroyed. I don’t know much about it, but I know a little bit.”
- “I’m supportive of the Pro-Palestine protests because I don’t believe innocent people have to suffer for a group of individuals. The Israel [sic] government, along with those who are zionists (not all Jews), are committing a crime amongst those that are in Gaza. Their goal has been made clear that their goal is to eradicate those who are Palestinian and in Gaza. The U.S. shouldn’t be supporting these actions, but they are because they care more about money than lives. A big portion of the U.S. doesn’t stand with our government, which is why they need to get their attention. We are tired of older men/women deciding for us, the people of the U.S.”
- “Because I love to support something that is political.”
- Of those who support the protests, less than half have actually participated; 43% of protest supporters have participated in a pro-Palestinian protest.
More than 1 in 3 supporters are in favor of protestors engaging in violent acts
Of students who are supportive of the pro-Palestinian protests, 75% support the use of encampments, 45% support blocking students from attending classes, and 38% support the cancelation of graduation ceremonies.
Additionally, 36% say they support protestors engaging in violent acts, and 35% support protestors using hate speech.
The plurality of college students say the protests have increased their support for the Palestinian cause (36%), while 46% say the demonstrations haven’t changed their level of support, and 17% say they lessened it.
More Than Half of Protestors Supports Sympathize With Hamas
Overall, 40% of students say they sympathize with Hamas a lot (17%) or a little (24%), while 33% say they don’t at all, and 27% are unsure.
Sympathy for Hamas is higher among those who are supportive of the protests (51% sympathize a lot (23%) or a little (28%)) and particularly those who have engaged in the protests (63% sympathize a lot (33%) or a little (30%)).
1 in 10 Protestors Admit They Have an Unfavorable Opinion of Jewish People
Of students who support the protests, 8% say they have a somewhat unfavorable (5%) or very unfavorable (3%) opinion of Jewish people, while 39% say they have on opinion. On the other hand, 29% say they have a very favorable opinion, and 22% have a somewhat favorable opinion of Jewish people.
When looking at students who are actually engaged in the protests, a higher number admit they have an unfavorable opinion of Jewish people; 6% say they have a somewhat unfavorable opinion, while 5% say they have a very unfavorable opinion.
In contrast, of students who oppose the protest, 4% say they have a somewhat unfavorable (3%) or very unfavorable (1%) opinion of Jewish people.
The majority (71%) of college students say they believe Israel has the right to exist. In contrast, 9% say it doesn’t, while 19% are unsure.
Students who support the protests, particularly those who’ve engaged in the protest, were more likely to say they don’t believe Israel has the right to exist. Of those who have participated in protests, 15% don’t believe Israel has the right to exist.
1 in 5 Students Oppose Consequences for Protestors Who Break The Law
Students somewhat oppose (9%) or very much oppose (9%) punishment for student protestors who break the law, while 36% somewhat support and 24% very much support consequences; 22% are unsure.
Further, 21% of students somewhat oppose (13%) or very much oppose (8%) punishment for student protestors who violate school policy, while 30% somewhat support and 25% very much support consequences; 24% are unsure.
Overall, 4% of students say they don’t feel very safe on campus.
just more of those who can’t do
ie more takers
Useful Idiots, the concept isn’t new.
The real source of the problem is the teachers colleges. Marxist haters blame America first and ignore the contributions of Western Civilization.
Another versio of the the 60’s when they went all in for the north vietnamese. Same things happened back then when we WERE actually active in the war. Remember kent state, jane fonda and her pose on the anti aircraft gun, and all the rest. 1% were responsible for making the 99% feel out of touch, same thing here. Do not fall for the biased rhetoric like ‘old uncle walter’ put out. Chicago is the lefts/deminazi rally point this year, just as it was back in 68 so expect similar stories. Thing is right now we are NOT directly engaged with the actions against hamASS, but to listen to these idiots we caused it. No they know we are a country of KNOW NOTHINGS jut like back then. I did one of my student teaching classes to HS SENIORS on the war (yes another democrap INVOLVEMENT war) and I had speakers from YAFF, another from anti group and from the ROTC instructors who had been there. The kids did not KNOW anything about what vietnam was about, when the classes ended they were surprised at what was going on and remember at this time many were subject to the draft and possibly going over. Today they only indoctrinate AGAINST the USA. Distortion of history is their prime element. Also if you remember this was the period of women freedom and burning bras and draft cards. Well now they are whining about killing babies being the new freedom. So all I can say is FOLKS WAKE UP and SMELL THE COFFEE or the country will suffer again and again.
The Arizona Legislature’s lazy-ass approach to managing its #1 single point budget item, Tucson’s University of Arizona, is at a minimum 50% directly responsible. They fecklessly assumed a bunch of well-heeled, political appointee bozos at ABOR would take care of things.
The AZ Legislature needs to repeal the crazy 1992 “Shared Governance” Law (ARS § 15-1601B), and institute an Inspector General System that has carte-blanche oversight of these monstrously obscene, billion-dollar $$$ enterprises that are clearly out of control.
https://arizonadailyindependent.com/2023/12/02/az-legislature-rein-in-your-feral-university-and-its-awol-regents/
A well-constructed poll would not combine ‘violence’ and ‘hate speech’ in a single question. One is protected by the First Amendment and the other is not. But we know the pollsters load the questions to elicit the responses they want to see.
I do not agree with radical liberationist or leftist protesters but they are being used as a foil to mobilize conservatives in defense of foreign spies. Do not be fooled, everybody who got the memo to call for the immediate shut down of university protests is doing so to support Israel. No matter how plausible their explanations are, that is the reason. Israel is dragging us into an expanded regional war and the only thing standing in the way is these radical uninformed libs. This is hasbara 101, they call them “rioters” instead of protesters, “pro-Hamas” instead of pro-Palestine. If they can reframe the issue as “Americans vs Leftists” then they can mobilize conservatives to fight against their own interests in support of Israel. My comment might be banned/censored.
uneducated about the middle east ; I’d say the majority of American’s are ; now that the USA no longer has ‘In God We Trust’ as it’s core ethic – this is what follows – greater interest in ‘abortion’ another splinter of the same pathway. A growing left – a growing and not yet seen anti-christian core – how anti-christian ; time will tell but I’m expecting severe limits, severe laws, severe actions against Christians ; we are moving to the time as it was in the time of Noah – which is to occur in end times – this nation’s time is closer to an end. We’re watching that happen now.
What a waste, as Ron White said “ya can’t fix stupid “
Scary how uninformed and radicalized they are. No protests against the Darfur and Uyger massacres. They endorse hate speech against Israel but not other forms of constitutionally protected hate speech that go against leftist causes. Our institutions are teaching Marxism, not American values of freedom and respect.
The “right to exist” goes to the winner of any conflict. It’s why the US must maintain its military might and principles of freedom. Reject the Marxist Dems and their Totalitarian President this November. Save American Democracy, vote conservative
Lol, I wouldn’t compare these student protesters to idiots when there’s a far greater danger of nuclear war brewing in Ukraine. No sir. That would be unfair to someone that’s an actual idiot.
Translation: The majority of college students are idiots.
DEI indoctrination is apparently leading to violent, closed-minded group-think in which it is okay to hate and impact lives of others who have nothing to do with the conflict. Where are the against Russia annihilating Ukraine and the very sad religious, civil rights, and genocide tragedies occurring elsewhere in the world (Darfur, Afghanistan-Iran women suppression, Chinese ethnic minorities).