President Joe Biden denounced campus violence in a speech from the White House but rejected calls to change his Middle East policy or bring in the National Guard to restore order.
“Peaceful protest is in the best tradition of how Americans respond to consequential issues,” he said from the Roosevelt Room. “But neither are we a lawless country. We are a civil society, and order must prevail.”
College campuses across the United States have seen massive upheaval in recent weeks due to pro-Palestinian protests, with students and other protesters taking over buildings and setting up encampments that have sometimes led to violence.
Biden has faced pressure to define his stance on the issue, which he did in remarks lasting roughly three minutes on Thursday morning.
“Violent protest is not protected. Peaceful protest is,” he said. “It’s 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 cancellation of classes and graduations — None of this is a peaceful protest. Threatening people, intimidating people, instilling fear in people is not peaceful protest.”
The widespread protests and, in some cases, chaos have drawn comparisons to the Vietnam War protests in 1968. Some claim the protests could boost former president Donald Trump, who won the election in 2016 on a law-and-order message.
Biden tried to establish a clear boundary between First Amendment-protected speech and illegal activity that goes beyond words, supporting the protests so long as they stay within certain bounds.
“Dissent is essential to democracy,” he said. “But dissent must never lead to disorder, or to denying the rights of others so students can finish the semester, and their college education.”
He denounced antisemitism along with Islamophobia, saying there is “no place for hate speech or violence of any kind” in the U.S.
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“Make no mistake, as president I will always defend free speech,” he said. “And I will always be just as strong in standing up for the rule of law.”
Following his remarks Biden was asked by reporters if he will change his policies in the Middle East and if he supports sending in the National Guard. His response to both was, “No.”