Excessive Political Polarization... Repeated 'Assassination Attempts' at Rallies, Homes, and Campaign Sites

Terror Attacks Targeting Key Figures in the US, Pakistan, Argentina, and Others
Ahead of Midterm Elections in the US, 9 out of 10 People "Concerned About Violence"

On July 21st (local time), citizens subdued a suspect who attacked Republican candidate Lee Zeldin during his campaign activities for the New York mayoral election in Fairport, New York. Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Recently, concerns have been growing as assassination attempts targeting prominent figures have occurred repeatedly around the globe amid political polarization.

The most recent incident was a shooting during a campaign rally of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. On the 3rd (local time), Khan was shot in the shin while riding a campaign truck during a rally in the Wazirabad area of Punjab province and underwent surgery.

At the time, leading a march protest toward Islamabad demanding early elections and the resignation of current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he pointed to government officials as behind the assassination attempt. Along with the current prime minister, he claimed that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and ISI Director Faisal Naseer conspired to assassinate him. He also urged his supporters to "continue the protests until they step down."

In the United States, ahead of the midterm elections, a man in his 40s broke into the home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. On the morning of the 28th of last month, David DePape broke into Pelosi’s San Francisco residence and seriously injured Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi. It is known that Speaker Pelosi was not at home at the time of the incident, as DePape initially intended to kidnap her. DePape, who was indicted on charges of assault and attempted kidnapping on the 31st of last month, has consistently denied the charges.

Earlier, in September, there was an assassination attempt on Cristina Fern?ndez, former president and current vice president of Argentina, which drew international condemnation. While greeting supporters in front of her Buenos Aires home, a man pointed a pistol at her and pulled the trigger. Although the pistol was loaded with about four live rounds, fortunately, it did not fire. The perpetrator was apprehended by security guards at the scene.

In Japan, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was fatally shot two days before the House of Councillors election in July. Abe was giving a speech in Yamato-Saidaiji, Nara City, Nara Prefecture, during an election campaign when he was shot twice. He was rushed to the hospital in cardiac arrest but ultimately died. The assassin, Tetsuya Yamagami, reportedly harbored resentment toward Abe, who had sent congratulatory messages to the Unification Church, as Yamagami’s mother was deeply involved in the church and neglected family life.

The increasing attacks on prominent figures worldwide are attributed to political polarization. As political polarization intensifies, some individuals are exposed to propaganda online, fostering hatred and increasingly targeting specific individuals for crimes.

In fact, in the United States, where Democratic and Republican supporters are sharply divided, a public opinion poll revealed growing concerns about violence stemming from political polarization. According to a survey conducted by The Washington Post (WP) and ABC News from the 30th of last month to the 2nd of this month, among 1,005 American adults, 88% expressed concern about this situation. Those who were "very concerned" accounted for 63%, and 25% said they were "somewhat concerned." By political affiliation, 95% of Democratic supporters expressed concern about political violence, while 87% of Republican supporters gave the same response.

Regarding this, Colin Clark, research and policy director at the intelligence and security consulting firm Supan Group, told the WSJ, "People who want to assassinate public figures will inevitably continue to emerge," adding, "The motives for committing lethal acts are becoming very diverse on an individual basis."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.