Internet slams Joe Biden as he breaks silence on pro-Palestine campus protests calling for order

WASHINGTON, DC: President Joe Biden broke days of silence on the pro-Palestine protest across campuses in the United States, which lately turned violent.

Speaking at a White House press conference on Thursday, May 2, the president denounced the "chaos" at the campuses and urged that "order must prevail," according to the Associated Press.

"Dissent is essential for democracy. But dissent must never lead to disorder," Biden said.

The Democratic president's remarks came following increasing criticisms from Republicans who attempted to weaponize the anti-Israel protests as a campaign tool.

However, the octogenarian attempted to find a middle ground in the contentious issue that jeopardized the safety of Jewish students amidst protests by pro-Palestinian students.

Student demonstrations against Israel's ongoing war on Gaza and US support for the Jewish state started at Columbia University in New York around two weeks ago, where protesters set up camps outside the university building. Soon, it spread to campuses from coast to coast.

Biden criticizes violence

"Destroying property is not a peaceful protest. It's against the law. Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, shutting down campuses, forcing the canceling of classes and graduations -none of this is a peaceful protest," Biden said at the White House, as per Reuters.

"There's the right to protest, but not the right to cause chaos," the president stressed. "People have the right to get an education, the right to get a degree, the right to walk across campus safely without fear of being attacked."

Biden also rejected the idea of sending national guards to the campuses to manage the situation. He called the crisis a "moment for clarity," denying to use it to "score political points."

On April 30, pro-Palestine protesters at Columbia University violently took over the historic Hamilton Hall inside the campus, leading to the arrests of dozens of students by New York police officials.

The campus unrest boiled after police removed demonstrators at several campuses, including dismantling an encampment at UCLA and arrested more than 200 students on May 2.

The protesters are demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and for the universities to divest from firms linked with the Israeli government.

However, Biden rejected the calls to change his approach toward Israel's ongoing war on Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinian civilians, mostly women and children, so far.

When asked if the protests would force him to reconsider his Middle East policies, the president replied with a plain "no."

Biden had remained silent since the protests took a chaotic turn recently. For instance, during a press briefing on April 28, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dodged multiple questions about the president's response to the situation.

Instead, she reiterated his support for peaceful protests while condemning antisemitism and violent rhetoric.

Internet slams Biden for his remarks on the campus protests

Biden's remarks about the ongoing campus protests sparked criticisms among netizens who accused the president of being too late.

One user wrote, "Too little too late. It’s been 9 days…his speech will stop nothing." Meanwhile, another remarked, "That took several days to do and last to do it. Nearly every politicians, besides the progressives, have already done so." [sic]

A user added, "Only took him a week and he finally decided to say something… had to figure out which way the wind was blowing for his political stance!" [sic]

"Late and weak. As usual," a response read, and another fumed, "A week later …. Pathetic."

Someone else said, "He got absolutely shamed into breaking his total silence."

An individual added, "He’s totally detached from reality and this scripted speech is the sum total of his awareness and involvement with the subject. It’s CPAP time and back to bed now."

"A weak , generic speech , with no grit . He has stood down on this issue all week . , walking away taking no questions sealed it. Biden not interested. Afraid to intervene," another outraged user argued. [sic]

This article contains remarks made on the internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.