Support for pro-Palestinian encampments on university campuses decline the longer they last, a new survey indicates.
New polling from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute conducted parallel surveys of Canadians and Americans, polling 1,603 and 2,024 respondents, respectively.
Canadians and Amercans showed similar views on the length of encampments, with 42 and 41 per cent respectively finding it acceptable to set up overnight. Levels of support for encampments lasting multiple weeks fell to 29 per cent of Canadians polled and 32 per cent of Americans polled.
Levels of support for encampments lasting months were lower, with only 25 per cent of Canadians and 29 per cent of Americans supporting encampments of that length.
Age created a stark difference of opinion, with Canadians and Americans aged 18-34 nearly twice as likely to support months-long encampments compared to their counterparts aged 35-54. Favor for longer encampments dropped significantly between respondents in both countries aged 55 or older, with 10 per cent of Canadians and 14 per cent of Americans still supporting encampments.
The surveys also sought to measure support for encampment lengths among different voter groups.
For Canadians, NDP voters were most likely to support an encampment of any length, with 56 per cent supporting protests of several months.
Liberal voters were the next biggest supporters of longer encampments, polling at 30 per cent in support of multiple weeks of encampment and 25 per cent behind multiple months of encampment.
Decided Conservative voters were the least supportive of any length of encampments on university campuses, with only one-in-five backing an overnight protest. Conservative support for lengthier encampments weaned down to one-in-10 for weeks-long demonstrations and only eight per cent favouring months-long encampments.
Voting intention also influenced the views on encampments for survey respondents south of the border.
Americans who intend to vote for Joe Biden were three times as likely to support any length of encampment compared to those planning to vote for Donald Trump.
The polling comes as Canadian pro-Palestinian encampments still going have passed the month mark.
Student encampments originally began at Columbia University in mid-April, with student protestors seeking to pressure their university to disclose ties with institutions supporting the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, and divest from such companies.
Canadian encampments followed suit about two weeks later, beginning with McGill University in Montreal seeking to achieve the same aim.
Student encampments continue at the University of Ottawa, McGill University and the University of Toronto, where convocation events are beginning today and running until June 21. U of T officials say the 30 graduation events will go ahead with what they call “extra” precautions.
Convocation at uOttawa runs June 6 to June 9 and at Carleton, graduation ceremonies take place from June 17 to 21.
