Poll: 24% of American respondents approve of political violence

A growing number of Americans approve of threats or even violence against political figures, according to a new poll. The Southern Poverty Law Center found as the country becomes more polarized the two major political parties see each other as an increasing threat to the future of the nation.

The SPLC and Tulchin Research polled 1,500 Americans on topics of extremism to gauge how widely these types of views have been adopted by the wider population. The poll covered a number of issues including views on gender identity, replacement theory, and racial diversity.

Some of the most shocking findings came from questions related to the openness to threats and violence against politicians.

When asked whether respondents approved of threatening a politician who they see as “harming the country or our democracy,” 24 percent approved. When broken down, the highest percentage came in men under the age of 50, with 40 percent of Democrats and 46 percent of Republicans approving of threats.

On the other hand, the poll also found that 1 in 5 people approved of assassinating a politician they see as “harming the country or our democracy.”

Republicans see “extremists in the Democratic Party” as the biggest threat to the nation, while Democrats see Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and “extremists in the Republican Party” as the most substantial threats in that order.

Meanwhile, over half of Republicans and 39% of Democrats see the U.S. heading toward a civil war.