One year after the violent assault on the US Capitol, Americans remain deeply concerned about the health of their democracy, and about a third say violence against the government can sometimes be justified, according to two polls published Sunday.
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The Jan. 6 attack on the seat of Congress, led by supporters of then-President Donald Trump, was "a harbinger of increasing political violence," and American democracy "is threatened," according to two-thirds of those surveyed for a CBS News poll.
Meantime, Americans' "pride" in their democracy dropped sharply, from 90% in 2002 to 54% now, a Washington Post/University of Maryland survey found.
With the Jan. 6 anniversary nearing, the polls offer specific causes for concern: CBS found that 28% of respondents believe force can be used to defend the result of an election, while 34% told The Washington Post that violent action against the government can sometimes be justified – the largest percentage in decades.
The results underscore the seemingly almost irreconcilable views dividing American society, which US President Joe Biden – who took office 14 days after the Capitol rioting – promised to overcome.
Two-thirds of Trump supporters continue to believe that Biden is not the legitimately elected president, the polls showed.
Some 60% of respondents say Trump bears a heavy responsibility for the invasion of the Capitol, which was perpetrated just as lawmakers were set to certify Biden's victory.
i24NEWS contributed to this report
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