Evidence library

This YouGov survey of 2,114 people examines the public’s attitudes to the protests, the riots, and those taking part in them. It also looks at how well people think the police and politicians have responded, their confidence in the police to prevent further violence, and their expectations for the aftermath.

The results show that few Britons support the disorder, with the vast majority saying it is unjustified and that the views of the rioters are not representative of the wider population.

• 85% of Britons oppose the unrest at recent protests and just 7% say they support the violence.
• Sympathies with the views of those taking part in the protests are somewhat broader – six in ten Britons (58%) say they have a great deal or fair amount of sympathy for the views of those peacefully taking part in demonstrations that were ostensibly triggered by the Southport murders.
• Only one in eight Britons (12%) feel the rioters are representative of the views of most Britons, with three-quarters (76%) saying they do not represent the majority of the public.
• The only people who feel the rioters are some kind of ‘silent majority’ are those who support the unrest, six in ten of whom (62%) are under the impression that their views are widely shared.