Americans concerned about risk of political violence in U.S.: poll

A woman visits the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the United States, on March 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Nearly 9 in 10 Americans -- 88 percent -- are concerned that political divisions have intensified to the point that there's an increased risk of politically motivated violence in the country. Sixty-three percent in this ABC News/Washington Post poll are "very" concerned.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- A wide majority of Americans worry there is an increased danger of politically motivated violence in the United States, according to a new poll released on Friday.

Nearly 9 in 10 Americans -- 88 percent -- are concerned that political divisions have intensified to the point that there's an increased risk of politically motivated violence in the country.

Sixty-three percent in this ABC News/Washington Post poll are "very" concerned.

By contrast, asking which political party is more to blame for this risk produces a closely divided, strongly partisan result: 31 percent blame the Republican Party, 25 percent blame the Democratic Party and 32 percent blame both parties equally. Just 11 percent don't blame either or both.

The poll was conducted a week after Paul Pelosi, husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was attacked at their home in San Francisco, California, by an assailant with a hammer and subsequently hospitalized.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and other government agencies issued a memo last week that warned of an increased likelihood of violence from domestic extremists in the 90 days after the election, according to a copy of the document obtained by The Post.

"Following the 2022 midterm election, perceptions of election-related fraud and dissatisfaction with electoral outcomes likely will result in heightened threats of violence against a broad range of targets -- such as ideological opponents and election workers," the memo read. ■