Hundreds of protesters, many calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, have been arrested on college campuses across the U.S., including at local schools like Emerson and Northeastern. President Biden and Mass. Gov. Maura both weighed in Thursday.
Tensions are boiling over on college campuses across the country as students call on universities to divest resources from Israel.
In Massachusetts over 100 demonstrators were arrested at Emerson, and a hundred more at Northeastern. Another estimated 100 were arrested between protests at the University of New Hampshire and Dartmouth. Protesters remain dug in at Tufts and MIT.
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President Joe Biden addressed the demonstrations Thursday.
“I understand people have strong feelings and deep convictions in America,” the president said. “We respect the right and protect the right for them to express that. But it doesn’t mean anything goes.”
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Leaders in New England also chimed in. Both Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu condemned some protesters for skirting the line of antisemitism.
“We all know the nature of what the protests are. They’re very hateful, they’re very antisemitic,” Sununu said while on New Hampshire Today with Chris Ryan.
“I think there was certainly antisemitic language used at least at Northeastern and we certainly received a lot of complaints about antisemitic language and conduct,” Healey commented.
All three made clear their support of free speech, calling on protestors to remain within legal boundaries.
“Violent protest is not protected. Peaceful protest is, it’s against the law when violence occurs,” said Biden.
“Just being really clear about the difference between protest and peaceful protest and also what constitutes violence,” the Massachusetts governor said.
