Jonathan Wolfe, a journalist covering student protests, discusses the crackdown on demonstrators by police at universities. They delve into President Biden's response and the impact of the protests on his decisions. The podcast explores the tension at UCLA, the violent events on college campuses, and Biden's evolution on protests.
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Quick takeaways
Over 2,000 students were arrested in response to nationwide pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses, prompting President Biden to address the issue.
Violent clashes between pro-Palestinian protesters and counter-protesters at UCLA highlighted the challenges of managing tense situations on campus amid escalating tensions.
Deep dives
Escalation of Protests on College Campuses
Pro-Palestinian protests on American college campuses escalated into a nationwide movement. Demonstrations and encampments were set up leading to clashes between protesters and counter-protesters. Administrators faced challenges in handling the situations, with police arresting over 2,000 students across 40 campuses.
UCLA Protest and Escalation
At UCLA, pro-Palestinian protesters and counter protesters clashed, leading to violence. The encampment setup attracted attention, and tensions rose with the arrival of the Israeli American Council for a rally. Violent confrontations intensified over several days, resulting in arrests and chaos on campus.
President Biden's Response and Policy Stance
President Biden addressed the protests, emphasizing the right to peaceful assembly while condemning violence and property destruction. He underscored the balance between free speech and upholding the law, asserting his commitment to defending both. Biden's policy towards the conflict remained unchanged despite the protests, as he focused on seeking a resolution through dialogue and negotiations.
Over the past week, students at dozens of universities held demonstrations, set up encampments and, at times, seized academic buildings. In response, administrators at many of those colleges decided to crack down and called in the local police to detain and arrest demonstrators.
As of Thursday, the police had arrested 2,000 people across more than 40 campuses, a situation so startling that President Biden could no longer ignore it.
Jonathan Wolfe, who has been covering the student protests for The Times, and Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent, discuss the history-making week.
Guest:
Jonathan Wolfe, a senior staff editor on the newsletters team at The New York Times.
Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent for The New York Times covering President Biden and his administration.