Americans Think the Media Favor Violent Protesters Over Police, Poll Finds

Monica Sanchez | August 21, 2018
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Americans are more likely to think that the media identifies with violent protesters than the police that work to keep the peace, a new Rasmussen poll reveals.

“Following the ‘Unite the Right’s’ first anniversary white supremacy rally earlier this month that was counter-protested by groups like so-called ‘antifa’, voters think police do a good job dealing with violent protesters but don’t think the media sides with them,” reports Rasmussen. “A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 48% of Likely U.S. Voters think most reporters identify more with the protesters than the police in violent protest situations, little changed from a year ago after the initial ‘Unite the Right’ rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Just 14% think the media sides more with the police, up from nine percent (9%) of American Adults last August, while 27% think they identify with both, down from 34%. Another 11% are undecided.”

While voters believe the media side more with protesters than police at violent marches or demonstrations, Americans are more likely to trust that the police are doing the right thing:

“But nearly half of voters (47%) think the police do the right thing in most cases when dealing with violent protesters, up slightly from 41% of Americans who said the same this time last year,” writes Rasmussen. “Just 16% think the police are generally too aggressive with protesters, while 30% think they’re not aggressive enough.”

This is relatively consistent along party lines, with 48% of Republicans, 44% of Democrats, and 48% of Independents who agree that police tend to handle such situations “about right.”

The results come after news made headlines that an NBC reporter, Cal Perry, was berated and attacked by Antifa at the “Unite the Right 2” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, earlier this month.

“F**k you, snitch a** news b***h,” yelled one Antifa protester before swatting away Perry's camera. 

Antifa was also reportedly shouting chants like "AK-47, put the cops in piggy heaven,” and, “all cops are racist, you better face it," MRCTV reported.

The incident ironically forced liberal media news outlets including CNN to denounce the leftist Antifa.

More recently, a liberal activist was beaten by Antifa for holding an American flag, MRCTV reported. He was protesting a right-wing group alongside the Antifa members but because he was holding an American flag, which Antifa considers to be a "fascist" symbol, his fellow counter-protesters attacked him.

The man reportedly suffered a concussion and a 3-inch gash in the back of his head where he was struck with what he believes was the metal end of a club. 

 
We'll see how the media tries to explain that. 

Rasmussen surveyed 1,000 likely U.S. voters from August 14-15. Their poll has a margin of sampling error of 3 percentage points.

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