President Joe Biden addressed the ongoing unrest on college campuses, emphasizing the importance of upholding both the right to free speech and the rule of law. He stated that while the US is not an authoritarian nation that silences dissenting voices, it is a civil society where order must prevail. Biden made it clear that violent protest is not protected under the law, while peaceful protest is a constitutional right.
Regarding American policies toward the Middle East, Biden stated that the protests have not led him to reconsider such policies. He also expressed his stance against states calling in their national guard to intervene in campus protests.
Across various college campuses, incidents of unrest were reported. At Portland State University, clashes between Portland police officers and pro-Palestinian protesters resulted in arrests. At George Washington University, pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protesters held dueling demonstrations. The University of California, Los Angeles witnessed police intervention and arrests of over 100 protesters, with reports of flashbangs and rubber bullets being used. The University of Florida announced that commencement would proceed as planned, with the Chancellor emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy towards protests. At the University of New Hampshire, twelve individuals were arrested during protests, while the University of Texas at Dallas saw 17 arrests as police cleared an encampment.
