A new survey found that 55% of Americans are against protests that demonstrate dissent for current public health restrictions aimed at stopping the spread of the coronavirus.
In states like Michigan and North Carolina, protesters have taken to the streets to show their disapproval of current stay-at-home orders and other restrictions on businesses.(RELATED: Protest Showdowns: Anti-Lockdown Protesters Carry Guns In Pennsylvania, Kansas City Counter-Protesters Block Traffic)
The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the University of Chicago Divinity School polled 1,002 adults as part of a NORC “probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel. The panel was meant to be representative of the U.S. population and the poll was conducted between April 30 and May 4.
The margin of error for the poll is plus or minus 4.2 percentage points, per AP.
Protesters from a grassroots organization called REOPEN NC argue with a Raleigh police officer during a demonstration against the North Carolina coronavirus lockdown on April 14, 2020. (Photo by LOGAN CYRUS/AFP via Getty Images)
Democrats are more adamant to disagree with the protests than Republicans, with a 67% to 51% split, according to the poll, but overall only 8% believe the protests should be allowed to continue with zero restrictions.
“Its a tough situation,” said Adam Blann, 37, of Carson City, Nevada. “But I also think that one of the reasons we live in a great country is that we have freedom of expression, freedom of speech, freedom to protest.”
Some states have begun slowly easing restrictions over the last few weeks on both individuals and businesses.
“We hope the government is guiding us in the right direction,” Nebraska restaurant owner Charlie Yin told NBC news, who began opening three of his four locations starting May 4. “I definitely think this is saving jobs.”