After a hypocritical “summer of love,” the left has begun denouncing the protests they once supported. Why? Poll results and ballot boxes A new survey from The Associated Press has found that support has fallen for demonstrations against systemic racism.
The NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 44% of Americans disapprove of protests in response to police violence, while 39% approve. This can be referenced back to a poll in June where 54% approved. After a couple of months of communities being burned and destroyed, the American people are viewing these riots in a different light.
The June survey followed the late May killing of George Floyd, while the September survey was conducted Sept. 11-14, right before the announcement that the Louisville police officer would not be charged in the Taylor case.
The numbers have drastically changed across the board. Just 35% of white Americans approve of the protests now, down from 53% in June. Among Latinos, 31% approve, compared with 44% in June. 63% of Black Americans approve of the protests, down from 81%. Because of these numbers, Democrat politicians have changed their views overnight.
Democrats have come under fire for condemning the violent protests dominating U.S cities and echoing the call of radical Black Lives Matter activists. In many cases, Democratic leaders have even banned police forces from using CS gas, a significantly lower level of force than impact weapons. These have been necessary in dispersing riotous groups and banning them has been a serious breach of protocol.
Presidential candidate Joe Biden declared at one of his campaign rallies late August that rioting, looting, and setting fires is not protesting. He said that violence will not bring change, it will only bring destruction.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also shared a similar viewpoint on the House Floor last Thursday. “We support peaceful demonstrations. We participate in them. They are part of the essence of our democracy. That does not include looting, starting fires, or rioting. They should be prosecuted. That is lawlessness,” she said.
That is a different response than back in July when Pelosi failed to condemn the rioters tearing down a statue of Christopher Columbus in Baltimore. “People will do what they do,” she said.
Even VP pick Kamala Harris has joined her running mate Joe Biden in “condemning” the violence in our American cities. “Americans deserve a president who will heal our country and bring people together—not fan the flames of hate and division,” Harris tweeted.
Mind you, it was the left’s “flames of hate and division” that once supported these anti-police riots in the first place. After Democrats suffered negative polling data due to riots, the violence has declined.
Everything is a day late and a dollar short.
