In recent weeks, Townhall has reported how pro-Hamas protesters have created encampments across the country. As a result, many school officials have testified on Capitol Hill about how they are handling rampant antisemitism on campus.
However, these types of protests were not limited to the United States. Similar protests occurred at schools in the United Kingdom and Canada.
A survey released this week showed how residents in one country reacted to the protests.
A poll published this week by Leger for the Association for Canadian Studies found that only 19 percent of Canadians support pro-Hamas encampments on their university campuses.
According to the National Post, 21 percent of people in metro Toronto and 25 percent in greater Vancouver support the protesters’ aims. However, out of 48 percent of Canadians who oppose the encampments, this includes 45 percent in Toronto and 34 percent in greater Vancouver. Respondents in Montreal, are the most “vehemently opposed” at 49 percent, the Post noted.
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“They’re making a lot of noise and upsetting a lot of people. But we have to recognize that it’s only a relatively small minority of the population that’s involved in this stuff,” Robert Brym, an emeritus professor at the University of Toronto who helped formulate the poll said in an interview with the outlet.
“It was viewed as a heroic struggle to form the State of Israel. And after the Holocaust, it was viewed widely as absolutely necessary for the security of the Jewish population of the world,” Brym added.
The Post added that 16 percent of Canadians had never heard of the encampments (via the Post):
The first anti-Israel encampment began at McGill University in late April, following similar protest efforts in the United States. McGill was quickly followed by multiple other universities, including the University of British Columbia, the University of Toronto and the University of Alberta.
The protesters are demanding that universities cut ties with Israel, end all arrangements with Israeli universities and divest from companies supplying arms to Israel or profiting from the deadly war with Hamas. (Although it’s unclear if the universities actually have such investments.)
The poll found the support for the encampments is highest among younger Canadians, but a majority are still against them. Reportedly, 30 percent of those between 18 and 24 support them, while 33 percent are opposed. This trend continues with all age groups (via the Post):
For those aged 25 to 34, it’s 28 per cent in favour to 37 per cent opposed. Support drops to 18 per cent for those aged 45 to 54. Just 10 per cent of those polled over the age of 75 support the protest encampments (compared to 66 per cent opposed).
Broken down by political affiliation, 59 percent of those who consider themselves left wing support the encampments, while 27 percent still say that they’re opposed. A mere 5 percent of those who consider themselves right wing support the protesters. Only 13 percent of those who say they are “in the middle” support the encampments.
Broken down by gender, 52 percent of men oppose the encampments, compared to 44 percent of women.
“Women tend to lean a little more left than men do,” said Brym.
The polling was conducted between May 17 and 20 with a sample of 1,519 Canadians via an online panel. A probability sample of that size would have a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percent 19 times out of 20.
