Iin his first public comments on this week’s show campus protests, President Joe Biden criticized much of the unrest over the Israel-Hamas war that has erupted at colleges across the country, saying “none of this is a peaceful protest.”
“Destroying property is not peaceful protest,” Biden said Thursday. “It’s against the law. Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, closing campuses, forced cancellation of classes and graduations, none of this is peaceful protest.”
Asked by a reporter whether the protests led him to reconsider his policy in the Middle East, Biden replied: “No.” He also said he would not send the National Guard to intervene in campus activism.
Biden has faced increasing pressure in recent days from both Republicans and progressives to address the wave of campus protests across the country in response to Israel’s war with Hamas. The demonstrations, which rocked universities including Columbia and UCLA, have become a focal point for political debate, highlighting the delicate balance Biden must strike as he navigates the complexities of US foreign policy in the Middle East.
See more information: Pro-Palestinian college protests highlight divisions among Democrats
Republicans used the unrest as an opportunity to criticize Biden’s handling of the crisis, accusing him of weakness on Israel. Meanwhile, some prominent progressives have called on Biden to show solidarity with pro-Palestinian student protesters and take a more assertive stance against Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
“I can understand why [Biden] doesn’t want to comment on it,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Washington Democrat and chair of the Progressive Caucus, told TIME on Wednesday. “I think it would be great if he got up [the history of student protests]while ensuring that people understand that anti-Semitism is wrong.”
Biden had refrained from making public comments about the protests for more than a week before his comments on Thursday. While his Administration reiterated its commitment to Israel’s security and called for diplomacy in the region, it also expressed concerns about civilian casualties in Gaza and emphasized the need for humanitarian assistance. Biden has continued to provide military aid to Israel despite concerns from pro-Palestinian groups and some other nations that his actions in Gaza do not comply with U.S. and international humanitarian law. The Gaza ministry he said that more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 7, after Hamas attacked Israel.
“We are not an authoritarian nation where we silence people or suppress dissent,” Biden said. “The American people are heard. In fact, peaceful protest is in the best tradition of how people respond to important issues. But we are not a lawless country either. We are a civil society and order must prevail.”
Tensions came to a head at Columbia University and UCLA this week, where clashes between pro-Israel and pro-Palestine protesters resulted in numerous arrests and injuries. Reports of anti-Semitic chants and messages at the protests have raised concerns about the safety of Jewish students on campus.
“Let’s be clear about this too: There should be no place on any campus, any place in America, for anti-Semitism or threats of violence against Jewish students,” Biden said. “There is no place for hate speech or violence of any kind, be it anti-Semitism, Islamophobia or discrimination against Arab Americans or Palestinian Americans. It’s simply wrong. There is no place for racism in America.”
At Columbia University and City College of New York on Tuesday night, the NYPD was seen entering a window in a building occupied by the anti-war group, which demanded that the university condemn Israel’s actions and divest from companies linked to Israel. At UCLA, groups of dueling protesters beat each other with sticks after pro-Israel protesters tried to tear down barricades surrounding a pro-Palestine camp. Fifteen people were injured and one was hospitalized during the clash, university administration saidleading the school to cancel classes.
“In moments like this, there are always those who rush to score political points,” Biden said. “But this is not a time for politics. It is a moment of clarity. So let me be clear… Violent protest is not protected. Peaceful protest is.”
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
