Why Biden Finally Spoke Out on College Protest Violence
For weeks, protests have roiled college campuses across the nation over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. While initially restrained in his response, President Biden felt compelled to directly address the situation after violent clashes at UCLA early Thursday morning.
Up until then, the White House had issued statements condemning antisemitism and vandalism by protesters, but these came from aides rather than the president himself. Biden had asked his team to draft remarks he could potentially deliver, wanting to have them ready just in case they were needed. However, he remained unsure if he would give a speech.
That changed when scenes of pandemonium unfolded at UCLA, with protesters clashing with police on the Westwood campus. Watching the violent events play out on cable news Thursday morning, Biden made up his mind – he would go before the cameras later that day to address the escalating unrest.
“There’s the right to protest but not the right to cause chaos,” Biden declared in his hastily scheduled address from the White House. “Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, shutting down campuses, forcing the cancellation of classes and graduation — none of this is a peaceful protest.”
By choosing to speak out forcefully, the White House tacitly acknowledged that the pro-Palestinian campus protests risked undermining Biden’s efforts to serve as a unifying voice for the nation during this volatile period. While the president had been slow to robustly address the conflicts, the events at UCLA effectively decided for him.
Beyond the president’s remarks, the administration is taking other steps to demonstrate its attentiveness to the fallout from the college demonstrations. Biden had already planned a high-profile address at an upcoming Holocaust memorial ceremony to directly confront rising antisemitism on campuses.
And on Wednesday, his interagency task force on antisemitism convened to discuss advancing policies more quickly to counter antisemitic activity, such as better protecting students. There is a sense of urgency within the administration about implementing these measures.
Biden’s decision to get directly involved came in response to the most extreme protester actions like the occupation and vandalization of buildings. He felt these criminal acts needed to be publicly condemned in hopes of deterring similar episodes, according to White House officials.
The president drew a clear line – while protesters have a right to peacefully make their voices heard, they cannot threaten violence or break the law. His advisors hope the protests may naturally die down soon as schools close for summer and if a ceasefire can be reached between Israel and Hamas, though neither outcome is guaranteed.
Complicating matters are worries about potential unrest at upcoming events like Biden’s commencement speech at Morehouse College, where some students have already asked him to be disinvited over the Gaza conflict. There are also concerns about protests disrupting the Democratic convention in Chicago this August.
Ultimately, Biden felt compelled to weigh in as the campus demonstrations intensified and turned uglier. While taking a cautious stance initially, the president determined he could no longer stay silent as crimes were being committed in the name of protest. His speech served as a clear call for peace and order to prevail.
