Biden condemns antisemtism at university demonstrations amid campus arrests

President Joe Biden has condemned antisemitic protests at campuses like Columbia University, while at the same time saying people should understand what is happening to the Palestinians.

The remarks came as Columbia held classes virtually after a wave of protests regarding the war in Gaza. Student-led protest encampments garnered national attention, which led to some Jewish students saying they felt unsafe.

“I condemn the antisemitic protests,” he said in response to questions from reporters on Monday. “That’s why I have set up a program to deal with that. I also condemn those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians.”

Last year, amid protests on campus in response to the October 7 attack in Israel, Mr Biden revealed a series of actions to combat antisemitism on college campuses.

Columbia University’s president Minouche Shafik denounced the tension after requesting help from the New York Police Department which saw officers arrest some 100 students last week.

“There is a terrible conflict raging in the Middle East with devastating human consequences. I understand that many are experiencing deep moral distress and want Columbia to help alleviate this by taking action. We should be having serious conversations about how Columbia can contribute,” she said.

“But we cannot have one group dictate terms and attempt to disrupt important milestones like graduation to advance their point of view. Let’s sit down and talk and argue and find ways to compromise on solutions.”

Protesters at Columbia are calling on the university to divest “all economic and academic stakes in Israel” amid its war in Gaza, which has led to 34,000 deaths. In the wake of the demonstrations, similar demonstrations began at Tulane