A majority of college students support the anti-Israel protests plaguing campuses across the country — and 15% of those surveyed who participated in one don’t believe Israel has a right to exist, a shocking new poll found.
Sixty-five percent of students support the recent protests, according to a poll of 763 full-time students from Intelligent, an online magazine focused on higher education. The demonstrations have hit more than 80 US campuses, starting with Columbia University’s “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” and stretching to the University of California in Los Angeles.
Forty-three percent of the supporters have participated in a demonstration for Gaza themselves and more than half of them — 63% — expressed at least some sympathy for Hamas terrorists who slaughtered at least 1,200 Israelis during an Oct. 7 surprise attack, the survey found.
The terrorist sympathizers were about split between having “a lot of” or “a little” sympathy for the group.
Horrifying chants including, “We are Hamas” rang out on campuses like Columbia while literature found NYU read, “Death to America.”
One in 10 of those polled also admitted to having an “unfavorable” opinion of Jewish people.
TikTok was the top source for information on the Israel-Hamas war among the students polled, trumping other social media outlets, news, friends and family and professors.
Thirty-six percent of those who support the rallies also support participants engaging in violence, and 35% back them using hate speech. Seventy-five percent of supporters give a thumbs-up to encampments and 45% are OK blocking students from getting to class as a form of protest.
The unnamed respondents told Intelligent they back the demonstrations because, “I think it’s a good cause,” and, “I love to support something that is political.”
“I’m not sure of the debate’s specifics, but I’m against war in general and wish them well,” another poll taker said.
Thirty-six percent said the protests have actually increased their support for the Palestinian cause.
More than 2,000 arrests have taken place at the anti-Israel protests across the country; only 24% “very much” support consequences for student protesters who break the law while about as many support punishment for those who violate school policy.
Thirty-eight percent support graduation ceremonies being canceled due to the protests, the survey, which was conducted online in the beginning of May, also found.
Columbia and UCLA have canceled their upcoming main commencement ceremonies after weeks of campus turmoil.
Meanwhile, off campus, almost half of Americans support banning anti-Israel protesters from campuses entirely, according to another recent poll.
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