President Biden on Thursday condemned many pro-Palestinian demonstrations on college campuses.
“Let me be clear … Violent protest is not protected. Peaceful protest is. It's against the law when violence occurs. Destroying property is not a peaceful protest,” Biden said while delivering remarks from the White House.
Biden suggested that disruptions to students trying to learn on college campuses is not a peaceful form of protest and cautioned protesters from committing chaos.
“Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, shutting down campuses, forcing the cancellation of classes and graduations, none of this is a peaceful protest. Disturbing people, intimidating people, instilling fear in people is not a peaceful protest," Biden said. “Dissent is essential to democracy, but dissent must never lead to disorder or to denying the rights of others so students can finish the semester and their college education."
“It's basically a matter of fairness. It's a matter of what's right. There's the right to protest, but not the right to cause chaos," Biden added.
Biden later said that the protests would not cause him to change his approach to policy in the Middle East.
