A recent poll finds that most New Yorkers support peaceful student demonstrations for those suffering in Gaza, but believe that recent pro-Palestinian campus protests have turned into anti-Semitism. The poll, conducted by Siena College, polled nearly 1,200 registered voters in New York state and found that 72 percent of respondents support peaceful demonstrations in support of those suffering in Gaza, while 64 percent supports an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
However, 70% of respondents believe that the protests have gone too far, justifying police intervention. Additionally, 61% agreed with the statement that the demonstrations appear to have forgotten that Hamas started the conflict, which left 1,200 dead and more than 200 hostages, and now appears to have crossed the line of anti-Semitism.
Results for New York City respondents were not significantly different from statewide results. The poll has a margin of error of 3.9%.
These findings come amid ongoing debates about the protests and police action to disperse them. Supporters of the protests argue that mass arrests violate First Amendment rights. However, many Jewish students and organizations have expressed concern that the protests have created a hostile environment for Jews, citing numerous examples of anti-Semitic rhetoric and behavior.
The New York Police Department has faced criticism for forcibly removing protesters from several campuses, including Columbia University and the City College of New York, leading to more than 100 arrests. Strikers were also filmed at an off-campus demonstration led by hard-line pro-Palestinian groups in Brooklyn.
Among Jewish respondents, 87% believed the protests crossed the line into anti-Semitism. Jewish respondents were divided on whether to support students peacefully protesting the suffering in Gaza. A majority or plurality of all political, racial, and income groups surveyed agreed that the protests had featured anti-Semitism, although liberal, black, Latino, and lower-income voters were more divided. Nearly half of those polled, 48 percent, supported $26 billion in funding for Israel, including $9 billion for humanitarian aid to Gaza, while 33 percent opposed it.
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