President Joe Biden recently addressed the recent protests that have been roiling university campuses across the country for the Israel-Hamas war Thursday morning, distinguishing the exercise of free speech and the violence, intimidation, and disruption that was occurring via Mediaite.
It has been noted that Biden began his remarks by saying that the imagery from the campus protests “put to the test two fundamental American principles,” the right to free speech, to peacefully assemble, and make their voices heard, versus the need for the rule of law to be upheld.
America is a “diverse, free-thinking, and freedom loving nation,” but “in moments like this” there were “those who rush in to score political points.”
“Let me be clear,” Biden emphasized, “peaceful protest — in America, violent protest is not protected. Peaceful protest is.”
He continued:
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. It’s against the law.
Dissent is essential to democracy, but dissent must never lead to disorder or to denying the rights of others, so students can finish the semester and their college education.
Look, it’s basically a matter of fairness. It’s a matter of what’s right. There’s the right to protest. But not the right to cause chaos. People have the right to get an education, the right to get a degree, the right to walk across the campus safely, without fear of being attacked.
But let’s be clear about this as well: there should be no place in any campus, no place in America, for antisemitism or threats of violence against Jewish students. There is no place for hate speech or violence of any kind, whether it’s antisemitism, Islamophobia, or discrimination against Arab Americans or Palestinian Americans. It’s simply wrong. There’s no place for racism in America. It’s all wrong. It’s un-American.
I understand people have strong feelings and deep convictions. In America, we respect the right and protect the right for them to express that. But it doesn’t mean anything goes. It needs to be done without violence, without destruction, without hate, and within the law and I’ll make no mistake as president, I will always defend free speech and I will always be just as strong in standing up for the rule of law. That’s my responsibility to you, the American people, my obligation of the Constitution. Thank you very much.
As Biden wrapped his remarks, reporters asked him if the protests “would force [him] to reconsider any of the policies with regard to the region?” and if he thought the National Guard should intervene. The president answered a simple “No” to both questions.
