Americans protest President Trump's response to protesters

Protesters in Washington, DC, USA on June 2. Photo: Reuters

Protests, some of which turned violent, erupted last week after video emerged of a Minneapolis police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd for nearly nine minutes, even after Floyd lost consciousness. The officer has been charged with murder.

The poll, conducted on June 1 and 2, found that 64% of American adults “sympathize with those protesting outside,” while 27% said they disagree and 9% were unsure.

The poll highlights the political risks for Mr Trump, who has taken a hard line on protests and threatened to deploy the military to quell violence. The Republican president will face Democrat Joe Biden in the November election.

More than 55% of Americans say they disapprove of Trump's handling of the protests, with 40% "strongly" disapproving, while just a third say they approve — well below the 39% who approve of his overall job performance.

Another Reuters/Ipsos poll also found that, among registered voters, Mr. Biden leads Mr. Trump by 10 percentage points - the largest gap since the former US Vice President became the Democratic Party's nominee in early April.

The number of independents who disapprove of Trump’s response to the unrest has also doubled. Even among Republicans, just 67% say they approve of how Trump has responded, far below the 82% who say they like his overall performance.

Concerns about violence

The protests have highlighted the crisis in a country already battling the Covid-19 pandemic and its economic fallout. While many of the daytime protests have been peaceful, some have turned into violent clashes at night between police and protesters.

Majorities of Republicans and Democrats say they support peaceful protests, but believe property damage defeats the protesters’ purpose. Less than a quarter of Americans say violence is an appropriate response.

Even in rural and suburban areas that have not been affected by the protests, most people have expressed support. More than half of rural residents sympathize with the protesters, while in suburban areas, seven in 10 people share the same view.

Forty-seven percent of registered voters said they planned to support Mr. Biden in the November 3 election, compared with 37 percent who supported Mr. Trump.

Public opinion could easily change amid nightly protests in major cities. Several police officers were shot on Friday night, and Mr. Trump has mocked state governors who have not requested military support.

Also on June 1, police used tear gas to disperse peaceful protesters near the White House, so that Mr. Trump could take a photo in front of a church.

Americans are also divided on the police response. According to the poll, 43% believe the police are doing a good job and 47% disagree, with a majority of Democrats disagreeing and a majority of Republicans approving.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll on the protests was conducted online, in English, nationwide and received responses from 1,004 U.S. adults. The poll's confidence interval is +/- 4 percentage points.