The COVID States Project #80: Americans' views on violence against the government

Recent years have seen armed protests, threats, and violence against government officials following mask mandates, COVID-19 related closures, and the 2020 election (including, most notably, the deadly January 6, 2021 attack on the US capitol). These events have sparked concern about the state of American democracy and the safety of government officials. In this report, we examine Americans’ attitudes toward the acceptability of violent protest against the government.