President Biden speaks out on university protests
Joe Biden has broken the silence with the pro-Palestinian university protests, which have left hundreds of people detained at the country’s main universities. In a brief speech from the White House, the president of the United States justified the actions of the police to clear the campuses, emphasizing that peaceful protest is protected by law, but violent protest is not. Biden has made clear that destruction of property, vandalism, disruption of classes and graduations, as well as threats and intimidation, are not forms of peaceful protest and are illegal.
The right to dissent and the importance of the order
President Biden has defended the right of students to demonstrate and stressed that dissent is essential to democracy. However, he has emphasized that dissent should never lead to disorder or deny the rights of other students to continue their education. Biden has stressed that there is no place on university campuses for hate speech or violence of any kind, including anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and discrimination against students of Arab or Palestinian origin.
Biden’s position on policies towards Israel
President Biden has denied that the protests have caused him to reconsider US policies toward Israel. Furthermore, he has rejected the intervention of National Guard reservists to repress the protesters.
International reactions
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has called the university protests in the United States a resurgence of anti-Semitism. Herzog has sent a message of support to Jewish communities around the world, stating that the people of Israel are with them and that together they will remain strong in the face of violence and intimidation.
