Donald Trump has spoken out after hundreds of students have been arrested at US campuses over their involvement in pro-Palestine protests.
Posting on social media site Truth Social, Trump wrote a simple statement, all in capital letters: "STOP THE PROTESTS NOW!!!!" It comes as students across the US have doubled down on their protest efforts on the lawns of college campuses, sparking a new wave of encampments across the country.
Trump later tweeted to say there has been "ZERO leadership from Biden" at this time. Referring to last year's attack when Hamas stormed into Israel killing around 1,200 people and also taking people as hostages back to Gaza, he added: "October 7th WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED IF I WERE PRESIDENT - NOT EVEN A SMALL CHANCE!!!"
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Students and organising groups are calling on their universities to issue a statement backing a ceasefire in Gaza (Anadolu via Getty Images)Students and organising groups are calling on their universities to issue a statement backing a ceasefire in Gaza. They also request all schools divest from companies with ties to Israel.
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In a tweet posted on X last Wednesday, Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine said, "As of 4 AM this morning, Columbia University students have occupied the center of campus, launching our Gaza Solidarity Encampment. We demand divestment and an end to Columbia’s complicity in genocide."
Columbia called in the NYPD, who cleared the encampment and arrested over 100 students (Anadolu via Getty Images)Since then, the groups have been filmed and photographed repeating a number of chants that call for the destruction of Israel, encouraged violence against 'colonizers,' stolen and burned Israeli flags, and formed chains to 'keep out Zionists.' The groups have argued their actions are not antisemitic.
Columbia called in the NYPD, who cleared the encampment and arrested over 100 students, including Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who herself has been in the spotlight for antisemitism after a dozen Jewish lawmakers called her out for social media comments.
President Joe Biden, Mayor Eric Adams, Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, Jerry Nadler, Kathy Hochul and plenty of others have spoken out about the images released of the protests at Columbia (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)After the arrests and clearing of the encampment, protesting groups once again gathered, this time with the added anger of their encampments being removed by the NYPD. Reports show the students did not resist arrest, but simply sat there as onlookers chanted “Shame, shame, shame!” at the police. “Let them go!” other students screamed.
The Monday after the encampments were removed, over 100 faculty members at Columbia staged a walk out in solidarity - arguing that students have the right to protest. The encampments are now back, with solidarity protests going on.
The Monday after the encampments were removed, over 100 faculty members at Columbia staged a walk out in solidarity (Anadolu via Getty Images)President Joe Biden, Mayor Eric Adams, Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, Jerry Nadler, Kathy Hochul and plenty of others - across the political spectrum - have spoken out about the images released of the protests at Columbia. Protests are also happening at NYU, the New School, Fordham, and across the country in colleges in Massachusetts, Oregon, and other states.
Mayor of New York City Eric Adams said: “Students have a right to free speech. They do not have a right to violate university policies and disrupt learning on campus. I know the conflict in the Middle East has left many of us grieving and angry. This is a painful moment for our city, for our country and for the globe. New Yorkers have every right to express their sorrow. But that heartbreak does not give you the right to harass others, to spread hate.”
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