Despite a 4-1 approval among Black adults, all American adults disapprove 54 – 38 percent of athletes refusing to stand during the National Anthem in protest of perceived police violence against the Black community, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today.
White adults disapprove of the protests 63 – 30 percent, as Black adults approve 74 – 17 percent, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University Poll finds.
There is a similar racial split on police in general as whites approve 70 – 20 percent of the way “police in the U.S. are doing their job,” while Black Americans disapprove 67 – 24 percent.
But blacks approve 68 – 25 percent of the way “police in your community are doing their job.” Whites approve 88 – 8 percent of their local police.
With 4-1 disapproval among Blacks, all Americans disapprove by a narrow 50 – 46 percent of the “stop and frisk” police tactic. Whites approve by a slim 51 – 45 percent, while Black adults disapprove 78 – 20 percent.
There is very little racial divide as all Americans say 73 – 21 percent that police should not violate civil liberties to prevent crime. Black adults defend civil liberties 83 – 13 percent and whites defend civil liberties 71 – 23 percent.
“There is a profound racial divide over athletes who refuse to stand for the National Anthem and deep differences over whether the police can be trusted,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.
“But no matter what race is surveyed, Americans believe police should not violate civilians’ civil liberties to prevent crime.
“On the controversial tactic of stop and frisk, in which some believe civil rights are abused, voters are split.
“The message from Americans: The cop you know is the cop you trust.”
Among all American adults, 50 percent see police as friends, while 6 percent see police as enemies and 42 percent don’t think of police as friends or enemies. Among whites, 59 percent see police as friends, while 4 percent see them as enemies and 35 percent say “neither.” Among Black adults, 27 percent see police as friends, with 12 percent saying “enemies” and 57 percent saying “neither.”
The “police you know” factor is seen in other questions as well:
_82 percent of Black Americans say “police in the U.S. are generally…tougher on Blacks than whites,” while 11 percent of Blacks say police treat everyone the same.
_56 percent of Blacks say “police in your community are generally…tougher on Blacks,” while 36 percent of Blacks say they treat everyone the same.
_72 percent of Black adults say “police in the U.S. generally use excessive force against minority suspects,” while 20 percent say police in the U.S. generally use “the appropriate amount of force.”
_45 percent of Blacks say “police in your own community generally use excessive force against minority suspects,” while 47 percent say police use the “appropriate amount of force.”
A total of 72 percent of all Americans say police brutality is a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” problem. A total of 95 percent of Black adults say police brutality is a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” problem. A total of 66 percent of whites say it’s “very serious” or “somewhat serious.”
Only 10 percent of white adults say police brutality is something they personally worry about, compared to 57 percent of Black Americans.
By a 67 – 25 percent margin, Americans say police should clear streets blocked by protestors, even if it means arresting protestors. Whites say clear the streets 70 – 22 percent. Black adults say clear the streets 51 – 41 percent.
From October 7-9, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,391 adults nationwide with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points. Live interviewers call landlines and cell phones. The survey includes an oversample of black respondents, weighted to their correct share of the population, for a total of 249 Black adults with a margin of error of +/- 6.2 percentage points.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Iowa, Colorado, North Carolina, Georgia and the nation as a public service and for research.
Visit http://www.qu.edu/polling or www.facebook.com/quinnipiacpoll.
