Survey of people in the USA

Almost 83% of US citizens believe an amendment to the country's constitution allowing people to keep and bear arms is necessary because it enables them to defend themselves. This data was cited by Newsmax on Thursday, citing data from a Trafalgar Group poll.

According to the survey, nearly 56 per cent of respondents said the most important role of the Second Amendment to the US Constitution is to enable people to protect themselves, their families and their property. 29.2% of respondents said the Second Amendment was needed to protect against "tyranny of the state".

The Trafalgar Group conducted the survey from 6 to 19 June among 1,084 participants. Only American adults participated in the survey, which had a statistical margin of error of 2.9 per cent. The survey was conducted against the backdrop of an escalating public debate in the US about the need for stricter rules on the sale of guns and ammunition.

The tragic events in Texas caused a new outburst of debate: as a result of the May 24 shooting at a primary school in the city of Yuvalde 21 people died, including 19 children. The school was opened by an 18-year-old local resident, Salvador Ramos, who acted alone. He was shot dead by police officers who arrived on the scene.

On Thursday, the US Senate approved a bill to tighten gun control in the country.

It is worth noting that the right of US citizens to keep and bear arms is guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the Constitution, adopted in 1789 and entered into force in 1791.

The first law restricting arms circulation was passed by Congress in 1934 amid the rise in crime in the United States during the Great Depression. It banned the sale of machine guns, silencers and small pistols, which were actively used by the Mafia.