'Right to protest, not anarchy', Biden said on the protest by Gaza supporters
The US has expressed its support for Israel in the war in Gaza and has asked the Jewish state to reduce its operations given the large number of civilian casualties. It is also concerned about Israel's planned offensive in Rafah.
US President Joe Biden. (file photo)
Breaking his silence on the demonstrations in American universities on Israel's action in Gaza, President Joe Biden made a big statement. He said that everyone has the right to express their disagreement but it does not mean creating anarchy and indulging in violence.
US President Joe Biden said that people have the right to protest, but they cannot be allowed to indulge in anarchy and violence. At the beginning of April, there were massive protests in the country's universities and colleges against Israel's military actions in Gaza.
Peaceful dissent is part of democracy
Speaking at a press conference at the White House, Biden said peaceful dissent is an important part of democracy, but brutality will not be tolerated. He said that destroying property is not a peaceful protest. It is against the law. He said vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, closing campuses, forcing the cancellation of classes and graduations, none of these are peaceful protests.
The President said that America is not an authoritarian country that puts pressure on dissent but the system should be maintained. He said that dissent is necessary for democracy, but it should never lead to chaos or deny the rights of others so that students cannot complete the semester and college education.
Protest against Israel's war in Gaza
When asked whether state governors should call in National Guard troops to restore order if necessary. To this, Biden replied, no. Let us tell you that since April 18, massive pro-Palestinian protests have rocked Columbia University and spread to other universities, with students protesting Israel's war in Gaza following the Hamas massacre on October 7. They are also demanding the removal of schools from supporting companies.
More than one thousand students arrested
Police have cracked down on most of these protests and more than 1,000 students have been arrested. The Biden administration is facing criticism from Republicans for its handling of the situation. Responding to another question, Biden said the campus unrest has not forced him to reconsider his policies in the Middle East.
Support Israel
The US has expressed its support for Israel in the war in Gaza and has asked the Jewish state to reduce its operations given the large number of civilian casualties. It is also concerned about Israel's planned offensive on Rafah, where more than 1 million Gazans who fled other parts of the strip during the war are camped. More than 35,000 people have been killed so far in the war that has been going on in Gaza for 7 months.