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Protests and Uprisings
Large Majority of the Public Views Prosecution of Capitol Rioters as ‘Very Important’
Democrats are far more likely than Republicans to say prosecuting those who broke in on Jan. 6 is very important and that penalties for them will likely be less severe than they should be.
How lawmakers’ social media activity changed in the days after the U.S. Capitol riot
Support for Black Lives Matter has decreased since June but remains strong among Black Americans
Recent Publications
Americans have heard more about clashes between police and protesters than other recent news stories
The public is more likely to have heard “a lot” about ongoing confrontations between police and protesters than several other stories.
Americans think social media can help build movements, but can also be a distraction
80% of Americans say social media platforms are very or somewhat effective for raising public awareness about political or social issues.
In Views of U.S. Democracy, Widening Partisan Divides Over Freedom to Peacefully Protest
A majority of Americans say significant changes are needed in the "fundamental design and structure of American government."
Outside U.S., Floyd’s killing and protests sparked discussion on legislators’ Twitter accounts
Many legislators in four English-speaking countries directly addressed George Floyd’s killing and the subsequent protests on Twitter.
Younger adults differ from older ones in perceptions of news about COVID-19, George Floyd protests
Those ages 18 to 29 differ from older Americans in their news consumption habits and in their responses to major news events and coverage.
Recent protest attendees are more racially and ethnically diverse, younger than Americans overall
Americans who recently protested are more likely to live in an urban area and to identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party.
Majorities of Americans Say News Coverage of George Floyd Protests Has Been Good, Trump’s Public Message Wrong
Among black Americans, 72% say coverage has been good or excellent and 85% say Trump’s message has been completely or mostly wrong.
#BlackLivesMatter surges on Twitter after George Floyd’s death
#BlackLivesMatter was used roughly 47.8 million times on Twitter – an average of just under 3.7 million times per day – from May 26 to June 7.
A month before George Floyd’s death, black and white Americans differed sharply in confidence in the police
In April, 78% of Americans overall – but 56% of black Americans – said they had confidence in police officers to act in the public's best interests.
Many Around the World Are Disengaged From Politics
Aside from voting, relatively few people take part in other forms of political and civic participation. But a 14-country survey finds that some could be motivated to participate on issues like health care, poverty and education.
