Biden’s first speech on university protests… “Order comes first” “Threatening people and instilling fear…an illegal act”
Regarding anti-Gaza protests spreading on college campuses across the country, US President Joe Biden announced on the 2nd (local time) that violent protests are not protected. This can be interpreted as a message of warning that we will not sit idly by if the protesters continue to destroy property or occupy facilities.
President Biden gave a speech at the White House on this day about the anti-war protests on Gaza and college campuses, saying, “Peaceful protests are the best tradition for Americans to respond to important issues, but we are not a lawless country, ” and “We are a civil society, and order comes first.” “It has to happen,” he said.
President Biden said, “Throughout history, we have often experienced moments like this because we are a great, diverse, free-thinking, freedom-loving nation,” adding, “In the moments this, there are always those who rush in for political gain, and now “This is not the time for politics,” he criticized.
It seems to be noted that the current university protests are not being carried out with pure intentions.
President Biden said, “Violent protests are not protected, peaceful protests are protected,” and “Violent protests break the law and violence happens.” Destroying property is not a peaceful protest and is against the law,” he said.
“Any actions that cause vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, closing the campus, or canceling classes or graduation ceremonies are not peaceful protests,” he said. “It’s against the law,” he repeated.
“Differences of opinion are essential in a democracy, but they should not lead to chaos or infringe on the rights of other students to finish the semester and graduate,” he said “It is fundamentally a matter of fairness and what is right.” “You have the right to protest, but you don’t have the right to cause disorder,” he argued.
In addition, President Biden said, “There should be no anti-Semitism or threats or violence against Jewish students on any campus or anywhere in the United States. “Hate speech or violence of any kind, whether anti-Semitism or Islamophobia, must not be tolerated,” he warned.
However, when asked if he believed the intervention of the National Guard was necessary, President Biden replied “no.” Asked if he might reconsider his Middle East policy, he said, “No.”
This is the first time that President Biden has made a separate speech on the anti-war protests at the college. The position statement also comes a week after calling this event an “anti-Semitic protest” on the 24th of last month and saying, “These are people who do not understand what is happening in Palestine.”
This speech is interpreted as being aware of the Republican Party’s attacks on President Biden for remaining silent on protests. As protests at universities intensified, criticism was raised that President Biden’s response was insufficient, especially from Republicans, including former President Donald Trump and US House Speaker Mike Johnson (Louisiana).
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