Biden tackles campus protests, deplores 'chaos'
Students have a "right to protest but not a right to cause chaos," the president said


What happened
President Joe Biden offered his first public remarks Thursday on the ongoing college campus protests over Israel's war in Gaza, striking a balance between safeguarding free speech and deploring unlawful behavior. Biden's unscheduled remarks followed days of criticism over his relative silence as hundreds of students have been arrested during increasingly fraught, and occasionally violent, confrontations with police and counterdemonstrators.
Who said what
Students have a "right to protest but not a right to cause chaos," Biden said. The protests, along with what many have seen as heavy-handed responses from universities and local law enforcement, "put to the test two fundamental American principles": free speech rights and the rule of law. "Both must be upheld," he said.
Biden also rejected Republican calls to send in National Guard troops to quell the unrest. Some Democrats had been "frustrated" by Biden's "reluctance to speak out" and "pressed him to publicly address the campus uprisings," The New York Times said. Biden has "walked a careful line of denouncing antisemitism while supporting young Americans' right to protest and trying to limit longer-term political damage," Reuters said.
What next?
Biden will deliver his "most extensive remarks on antisemitism" at next week's Holocaust memorial ceremony, Haaretz said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
Why are American conservatives clashing with Pope Leo?
Talking Points Comments on immigration and abortion draw backlash
-
9 haunted hotels where things definitely go bump in the night
The Week Recommends Don’t fear these spirited spots. Embrace them.
-
Saudi comedy fest exposes free speech schism in stand-up
IN THE SPOTLIGHT The decision by some of stand-up’s biggest names to attend a festival in a nation infamous for its censorship has the comedy world picking sides and settling old scores
-
‘This isn’t just semantics’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
‘People may use the same tactics for very different reasons’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Should Tony Blair run Gaza?
Today's Big Question Former PM is a key figure in plans for a post-war Palestine and could take up a formal leadership position
-
Democrats: Harris and Biden’s blame game
Feature Kamala Harris’ new memoir reveals frustrations over Biden’s reelection bid and her time as vice president
-
‘Americans want dark money out of politics. We don’t have to wait for Supreme Court.’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
UN panel finds Israeli genocide in Gaza
Speed Read The report found that Israeli leaders had committed ‘four of the five “genocidal acts”’ prohibited under the U.N. Genocide Convention
-
‘We must empower young athletes with the knowledge to stay safe’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day