In a recent USC survey, 1,857 adults exhibited significant skepticism towards student protests supporting Palestine. The research, conducted from October to December 2024, scrutinized perceptions of various free speech actions on campuses. Most respondents deemed numerous protest actions, especially disruptive ones, as inappropriate. Only a small percentage endorsed the right to criticize universities online, while a majority favored police interventions in protest situations. The overarching sentiment reflects a preference for institutional authority over emerging student activism, indicating a deeper societal ambivalence toward unregulated free speech.
The survey revealed that over half of respondents believe several student protest actions, including occupying campus buildings and disturbing graduations, are never appropriate.
Only 13 percent of adults felt it was always appropriate for students to criticize their universities on social media, indicating a significant disapproval of such actions.
The high percentage of support for police intervention suggests that the public is more likely to endorse institutional measures against protests rather than the protests themselves.
Morgan Polikoff noted his surprise at the low levels of support for unqualified free speech among the public amidst ongoing campus protests.
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