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Biden condemning both antisemitism and Islamophobia while anti-Israel demonstrations rage across the country caused an uproar once again on Thursday.
After intense media and political pressure, the president finally gave remarks on the nationwide anti-Israel encampments forming on college campuses. Biden specifically condemned the violence that has broken out but also warned about “hate speech” of any kind, whether it’s antisemitism or Islamophobia.
“There should be no place on any campus, no place in America for antisemitism or threats of violence against Jewish students. There is no place for hate speech or violence of any kind, whether it’s antisemitism, Islamophobia, or discrimination against Arab-Americans or Palestinian Americans. It’s simply wrong. There’s no place for racism in America. It’s all wrong. It’s un-American,” Biden said.
President Joe Biden has been criticized by public figures for his absence amid chaos at American universities amid the war in Gaza. (Biden photo by Nicholas Kamm / AFP) (Photo by NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images, Fordham university photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images )
The president’s reference to Islamophobia along with “discrimination against Arab-Americans or Palestinian Americans” was considered another example of a “very fine people on both sides” comment by many X users.
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“Biden just had his ‘very fine people on both sides’ moment (and unlike Trump’s, it actually happened). And no one in the press will care,” RedState writer Bonchie remarked.
“Very fine people on both sides,” The Spectator contributing editor Stephen Miller agreed.
OutKick founder Clay Travis described, “Joe Biden just read off the teleprompter for a few minutes and condemned protests on campus that break the law. Then said all racism is wrong and left the podium. His polling must be worse than what we are seeing in public. He’s trying to both sides the issue and is drowning.”
“At a time when no college campus is on lockdown over Islamophobia, Joe Biden felt the need to spend as much time in his speech denouncing Islamophobia and ‘discrimination against Arab Americans’ as he did antisemitism. He is never able to just call out antisemitism,” radio host Erick Erickson commented.
Conservative user Amy Curtis joked, “Turning down the temperature, I see.”
“Biden repeats his both-sideisms,” veteran James Hutton wrote. “Only the Jewish students are being violated. Biden knows that but he really wants those votes in Michigan.”
“Biden is incapable of simply condemning antisemitism. Yet another equivocation. This administration is an embarrassment,” Speaker Mike Johnson’s deputy communications director Kerry Rom summarized.
President Biden addressed the nation on the ongoing anti-Israel protests on college campuses. (Fox News Digital)
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Though Biden stated that he would not call on the National Guard to stop the protests, he emphasized a need to return to order while protecting the right to protest.
“We are not an authoritarian nation where we silence people or squash dissent. The American people are heard. In fact, peaceful protest is in the best tradition of how Americans respond to consequential issues. But neither are we a lawless country. We’re a civil society and order must prevail,” Biden said.
Biden faced backlash for a similar equivocation in April when he was asked about condemning the antisemitic college protests.
“I condemn the antisemitic protests. 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,” he said.
President Biden was asked about ongoing anti-Israel protests in colleges back in April. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/(Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
Equating the antisemitic protests with people who “don’t understand” the Palestinians ignited several comments accusing Biden of echoing Trump’s “very fine people on both sides” Charlottesville comment from 2017.
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Lindsay Kornick is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to lindsay.kornick@fox.com and on Twitter: @lmkornick.
