A new poll found that most Republicans believe “left-wing protesters” bear responsibility for the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
According to a Yahoo/YouGov poll, a survey of 1,588 U.S. adults found 41% of Republicans say supporters of former President Donald Trump bear “some” or “a great deal” of responsibility for the riots.
Only 23% blame the former president himself and 52% claim he is “not at all” to blame. A total of 73% of Republicans say “left-wing protesters” hold “some” or “a great deal” of responsibility for the insurrection.
The majority of Democrats, on the other hand, place blame on Trump supporters, Trump himself, and Republicans who believe the election was stolen.
A new Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday discovered 55% of respondents say the insurrection was an “attack on democracy that should never be forgotten.”
According to 39% of respondents, “too much is being made of” the riot, and it’s “time to move on.”
Five people lost their lives after pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol while Congress was meeting to certify the electoral results of the 2020 election.
A few Republican lawmakers have also suggested the insurrection was not as bad as it seems.
Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) said during a hearing on the preparation and response to the violence on Jan. 6 earlier this month, “Let’s be honest with the American people, it was not an insurrection. And we cannot call it that and be truthful.”
He added, “You know, if you didn’t know the TV footage was a video from January the sixth, you would actually think it was a normal tourist visit.”
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) suggested on the House floor earlier this month, “there have been things worse than people without any firearms coming into a building.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) claimed during a House floor speech on May 18 the rioters are “being abused, some even being held for 23 hours a day in solitary confinement.”