Columbia University Pro-Palestine Protest: Order must prevail, says Joe Biden

After the pro-Palestine protests popped up at various US universities, around 2,000 people have been arrested so far in connection with the agitation. US President Joe Biden also broke his silence and said that "order must prevail".

In a televised address from the White House, US President Joe Biden commented on the nationwide campus protests demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. While rejecting the students' demands to change his approach towards war in Gaza, he insisted that “order must prevail”.

“Dissent is essential for democracy,” Biden said at the White House. “But dissent must never lead to disorder," as reported by News 18. 

After the Democratic president broke his silence, he faced much criticism from Republicans.

Joe Biden also added that he did not want the National Guard to be deployed to university campuses as he reminded that four students were shot and killed at Kent State University by members of the Ohio National Guard during protests over the Vietnam War in 1970.

He added that the USA is not an authoritarian nation where the people will be silenced. "But neither are we a lawless country," added Biden. "We're a civil society, and order must prevail."

There is no place for hate speech or violence of any kind, whether it's anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, or discrimination against Arab Americans or Palestinian Americans, he said.

"There should be no place on any campus, no place in America for anti-Semitism, or threats of violence against Jewish students," Biden added.

Pro-Palestine protests at US Universities: Latest updates 

So far a total of 2000 people have been arrested from around 35 schools. One of the police officers at Columbia University reportedly fired his gun inside the hall in which no student was injured. Pro-Palestinian protesters had been barricaded inside for more than 20 hours.

Over the last two weeks, many students were arrested from campuses in Utah, Texas, Virginia, New Mexico, North Carolina, Connecticut, California, Louisiana and New Jersey following some clashes with riot police.

Columbia University President Minouche Shafik has requested police stay on campus until at least May 17, two days after graduation, "to maintain order and ensure that encampments are not re-established."

After the negotiation between protestors and the university reached an impasse, President Minouche Shafik said that she hoped that police presence could ease the unrest on the campus.

Read more:

• Columbia University Pro-Palestine Protest Continues; President asks police to remain on campus until May 17
• Columbia University: Pro-Palestine protestors fighting for important cause, says President