Trump Calls for Crackdown on Campus Protests Following Columbia University Raids
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has called for a crackdown on campus protests across the United States, praising the police response to pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University.
Trump, speaking at a campaign rally in Wisconsin, referred to the protesters as "raging lunatics and Hamas sympathizers" and commended the police for arresting around 300 individuals at Columbia and City College of New York. He urged officials to take similar action against student protests elsewhere.
These comments come amidst a wave of student activism against the war in Gaza, with demonstrations occurring at universities across the country. Protesters are demanding an immediate ceasefire and university divestment from companies with ties to the Israeli military.
Trump's remarks also addressed concerns raised by Republican lawmakers regarding antisemitic rhetoric and harassment on campuses. While student organizers maintain their peaceful intentions and denounce violence, some Jewish students have expressed feelings of unease and intimidation due to chants they perceive as antisemitic.
Trump's call for action follows the October 7th attack on southern Israel by Hamas militants and the subsequent Israeli offensive on Gaza. This conflict has sparked the largest outpouring of US student activism since the anti-racism protests of 2020.
The police response at Columbia University has drawn criticism from some faculty members, who believe the administration undermined academic freedom and disregarded student and faculty rights by involving the police and shutting down protests. A resolution condemning the administration's actions was passed by the Columbia University Senate last week.
Trump attempted to place blame for the unrest on President Biden, whose administration has condemned physical intimidation and antisemitism while supporting peaceful protests advocating for humanitarian aid in Gaza and university divestment from companies supporting the Israeli military.
Trump also criticized a potential move by the Biden administration to relocate some Palestinian refugees with ties to Americans to the US. This proposal stands in contrast to Trump's own hard-line stance on immigration during his presidency, which included the use of dehumanizing language towards refugees and immigrants in the country illegally.
With polls indicating a close race between Trump and Biden ahead of the November 5th election, Trump's visit to Wisconsin and Michigan marked his first major campaign events since the start of his New York criminal trial in April. He is currently facing charges of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment made to a porn star.