President Biden broke 10-days of silence Thursday on anti-Israel protests and clashes on college campuses — saying the US is not a “lawless country” and “order must prevail.”

Biden, 81, gave a roughly three-minute address in the White House Roosevelt Room after sustained criticism for his lack of comment as chaos raged across the country.

“We are not an authoritarian nation where we silence people or squash dissent. The American people are heard. In fact, peaceful protest is in the best tradition of how Americans respond to consequential issues. But, but — neither are we a lawless country. We are a civil society and order must prevail,” Biden said.

“Throughout our history we have often faced moments like this because we are a big, diverse, free-thinking and freedom-loving nation. In moments like this, there are always those who rush in to score political points. But this isn’t a moment for politics, it is a moment for clarity.”

Biden added: “Let me be clear… Violent protest is not protected, peaceful protest is. It is against the law when violence occurs. Destroying property is not a peaceful protest, it’s against the law. Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, shutting down campuses, forcing the cancelation of classes and graduations, none of this is a peaceful protest. Threatening people, intimidating people, instilling fear in people is not peaceful protest, it is against the law.”

“Dissent must never lead to disorder or to denying the rights of others so students can finish the semester and their college education,” Biden went on “There is the right to protest, but not the right to cause chaos. People have a right to get an education, the right to get a degree, the right to walk across the campus safely without the fear of being attacked.”

The president said, “there should be no place on any campus, no place in America for antisemitism or threats of violence against Jewish students.”

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