The survey from The Washington Post-University of Maryland issued Saturday discovered that 40 percent of Republicans said violent actions could be justified, compared to 23 percent of Democrats and 41 percent of Independents.
Sixty-two percent of respondents said violence was never justified, and four percent either had no thought on the matter or answered "justified" but "said in a follow-up question that they did not think violence was justified."
Of those who said that violent actions could be merited, 22 percent said that such actions could be justified by the government violating or taking away people's rights or freedoms, and 15 percent mentioned a potential military takeover or destruction of democracy.
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In total, the percentage of people who said violence against the government was at times justified has spiked in recent years.
In October 2015, 23 percent of people said it was justified, compared to 16 percent in both January 2011 and April 2010 and 13 percent in April 1995, according to the researchers.
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The Washington Post-University of Maryland survey also revealed that 19 percent of respondents thought that the legal punishments for people who stormed into the U.S. Capitol were too severe, and 51 percent said they were not severe enough. Another 28 percent said the punishments had been adequate, and 3 percent had no opinion.
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But the poll also showed a wide partisan divide over former President Trump's responsibility for the events of Jan. 6. Among Democrats, 92 percent said Trump carries a "great deal" or a "good amount" of the blame for the attack, compared to 27 percent of Republicans.
The survey was carried between December 17-19 and included 1,101 adults with a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points. The poll comes as the U.S. approaches the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Since then, hundreds of those who participated in the attack have been charged for their actions.
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About 40 percent of Republicans indicated they approve of the special investigative body in a new POLITICO/Morning Consult survey. However, 44 percent of GOP voters disapproved of the select committee, while 16 percent said they did not have an idea.
A solid majority of all voters — 62 percent — described those who breached the Capitol as then-President Donald Trump's followers, although only 43 percent of Republican-identified voters voiced that belief.
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