A study conducted by researchers from McGill University and Université Laval has found that younger, environmentally concerned Canadians are more likely to support disruptive tactics used by environmental activists compared to other groups. Published in the Canadian Journal of Political Science, the research highlights that while most Canadians reject vandalism and violence as forms of protest, there is a range of tolerance for disruptive environmental activism. The study’s lead author, Alexis Bibeau-Gagnon, a postdoctoral researcher at McGill University, explained that people generally support peaceful protest methods but are hesitant about disruptive actions. Almost all participants in the study rejected destruction and violence as acceptable political tools, even among those deeply worried about climate change. The research team analyzed data from a survey of 1,500 Canadians conducted in the summer of 2022. The results showed that younger individuals (under 33), those more concerned about climate change, and those who believe that governments or large corporations—not individuals—are primarily responsible for climate change were more likely to tolerate disruptive environmental protests. However, even within these groups, support did not extend to violent actions. Participants were asked to rate their support for a range of increasingly radical tactics, from signing petitions to committing violence against people in positions of power. Other tactics included divestment campaigns, road or bridge blockades, and vandalism. Respondents were also asked to identify which groups they believed were most responsible for climate change—individuals, governments, or corporations—and how concerned they were about the climate crisis. Bibeau-Gagnon noted that the findings help explain why the more radical parts of the climate movement struggle to gain public support, even as concern about climate change increases. The study also points to a key challenge in democratic societies: balancing the urgent need to address climate change with the public's resistance to more extreme forms of protest. The survey was commissioned by Université Laval’s Observatoire de recherche en économie verte and Chaire de leadership en enseignement des sciences sociales numériques, and conducted by the polling firm Synopsis. Bibeau-Gagnon, who studies radical political protest, including riots and disruptive collective action, plans to continue exploring environmental protest movements in future research.