Washington: US President Joe Biden insisted on Thursday that “order must prevail” on college campuses across the United States after weeks of turmoil, clashes with police and mass arrests involving student protests against Israel’s violence in Gaza.
Biden’s remarks came following the forcible clearing of a protest encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where police detained several demonstrators. The president underscored that while the United States values free speech and peaceful assembly, it also upholds the rule of law.
“We are not an authoritarian nation where we silence people or squash dissent,” Biden stated during a televised address from the White House. “But neither are we a lawless country. We are a civil society, and order must prevail.”
The protests on campuses have sparked confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement, prompting concerns over violence and hate speech. Police have faced criticism for their handling of the situation, particularly after clashes between pro-Palestinian and counter-protesters.
At UCLA, students faced off against officers, with tensions escalating as police dispersed crowds using flashbangs. The university subsequently announced remote classes and warned students to avoid the protest area.
Similar demonstrations have occurred at over 40 universities across the United States, with students erecting tent camps to protest the Gaza conflict. The unrest has led to hundreds of arrests and disruptions to campus activities.
President Biden’s intervention comes amid political divisions over the protests, with Republicans accusing him of being soft on anti-Semitic sentiment among demonstrators. Biden condemned all forms of hate speech and violence, emphasizing that there is no place for discrimination on campus.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has called for a full crackdown on the protests. Trump denounced what he called “radical left lunatics” and urged college presidents to remove encampments and restore order on campuses.
Since October 7, Israel has launched a relentless bombardment campaign in Gaza killing at least 34,595 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza, the besieged Palestinian territory’s health ministry reported. Meanwhile, the United Nations aid agencies have repeatedly warned of a looming threat of famine and diseases outbreak. Israel’s relentless bombardment campaign has reduced most the Gaza Strip to ruins.
