Figure A. Public opinion on discrimination and equal rights J(Q001) This feature provides an explanation of the public opinion and policy responses to the murders of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and George Floyd by police and subsequent protests of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. After the murders of Brown, Garner, and Floyd, public opinion became more supportive of racial justice policies-including among Republicans in response to Floyd's killing. However, Republican sentiments quickly shifted away from that position-as the political narrative of Trump and other elite Republicans turned against the cause of racial justice, so too did the views of Republicans in the general public. Coupled with a decline in news coverage about these unjust killings, we observe a stark divide between Republican and Democrat views on race and policing.
Looking at Figure A, generate explanations for the increase in the public's agreement that racial injustice is an important policy issue.