Pro-Palestinian protests have spread across the nation, prompting President Biden to make a public statement. On May 2, in a roughly four-minute address, Biden condemned violent behavior while urging demonstrators to maintain peace. Meanwhile, college administrators are straining to strike a balance between students’ free speech and physical safety.

Straight Arrow News contributor Star Parker contrasts liberal politicians’ weak responses with their conservative counterparts’ more robust reactions. Parker urges students, teachers and benefactors to note “who’s supporting the students and who’s supporting the mob.”

Highly disruptive protests on college campuses across America are being met with very different reactions both in Washington, D.C., and across our nation.

President Biden’s representatives offer platitudes about peaceful protests. But the president is saying very little and he has not taken any meaningful action to hold university officials or the agitators accountable.

House Speaker Mike Johnson had to weigh in. He condemned the protests that were shutting down many campuses. He went to Columbia University and called on the university president to get the situation under control or resign. This before what we saw at the Hamilton building. The speaker is bringing legislation to the House floor now that would require the Department of Education to clearly define antisemitism in its enforcement of anti-discrimination laws.

House Education and Workforce Chair Virginia Foxx delivered a blunt message to Columbia University’s president: “The inmates are running the asylum. Take back control of this once great institution. If not, the committee will pursue every possible avenue to create a safe learning environment for Jewish students.”

Governors in Florida, Texas, Virginia, among others, authorized strong enforcement that included the arrest of protesters who are making it impossible for students of all faiths and races to learn. The response was much different in other states and cities.