Sen. Murphy says he's not 'criminally offended' by pro-Palestinian protests that are peaceful
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Sunday argued the rights of those participating in peaceful pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses should be protected, pointing to the country's history of multi-day demonstrations.
Asked on "Fox News Sunday" about the GOP calls for the Biden administration to be more forceful in quelling the protests, Murphy said, "We should... all speak out, right? When [a] protest crosses a line, when it becomes violent or when there's hate speech."
"But 95 percent of the young people who are on these campuses are there because they believe there is a fundamental injustice being perpetrated in Israel, and we should protect their right to peacefully protest," he continued. "And, you know, we also have a history of overnight, multi-day protests in this country."
Protests calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and a halt in U.S. military aid to Israel have lasted for more than a week at a series of college campuses across the country. Some schools called in local and state law enforcement to break up the protests, leading to the arrests of hundreds of students.
Many of the protests have been reported to be peaceful, but concerns have been raised over the safety of students and the proliferation of antisemitic rhetoric. Many protest groups have rejected the characterizations of their recent demonstrations as antisemitic.
"I don't think there's anything wrong with protecting the ability of peaceful protests to last beyond a handful of hours," Murphy said. "Yes, there is a point at which these protests are going to get in the way of the efficient operation of a campus. But I am not criminally offended by the fact that some of these protests go on for multiple days."
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) last week visited Columbia University, the first school to launch a major protest, and suggested President Biden call in the National Guard to stop the demonstrations, describing them as “dangerous.”
"Fox News Sunday" anchor Shannon Bream then pressed Murphy if his believes of the use of law enforcement change in the case of threats against students.
"In some of these campus protests, there have been legitimate threats to students on campus. And I think in those instances, campus police or local police can and should handle those threats," Murphy said.
Date: |
Filter
-
Mike Johnson Visits Trump’s Criminal Trial to Say What He Can’t
Outside the Manhattan courthouse where Donald J. Trump is being tried on criminal charges, Mike Johnson attacked a key witness who linked the former president to a plan to cover up hush money paid to a porn star.The New York Times - Top stories - Donald Trump -
Trump’s hush-money case has proven he’s a low-life. Can it prove he’s a criminal? | Margaret Sullivan
This is likely the only Trump trial before the election – and the only hope for a shred of accountability for his endless misdeeds. When you set out to explore Donald Trump’s personal life and business practices, you don’t expect to meet any ...The Guardian - World -
A US museum curator was detained in Turkey on claims of spider smuggling. He says he has permits
Turkish media say a curator at the American Museum of Natural History has been detained in Istanbul while allegedly attempting to smuggle spider and scorpion samplesABC News - Tech -
Harvard reaches deal to end pro-Palestinian encampment
The pro-Palestinian encampment at Harvard announced Tuesday it would be ending after reaching an agreement with the nation's oldest university. Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine (HOOP) said in a post on X the school had agreed to reinstate ...The Hill - Politics -
US gives Saudis green light to try to revive peace deal with Houthis
Saudis are keen to end their engagement in Yemen and US needs Saudi support to end Gaza conflict. US determination to keep Saudi Arabia engaged in a peace process with Israel has led Washington to give Riyadh an informal green light to try to ...The Guardian - World -
Israel's Rafah Offensive Strains 45 Years of Peace With Egypt
Cairo is considering downgrading its diplomatic ties and joining an international court case accusing Israel of genocide.The Wall Street Journal - World - Israel -
Top Republican donors fund group doxxing pro-Palestinian college students
Accuracy in Media's 2022 tax return lists donations from billionaire Jeff Yass and the family foundations of Richard Uhilien, Adam Milstein and Peter Coors.CNBC - Business -
Amsterdam university cancels classes after violence erupted at a pro-Palestinian rally
The University of Amsterdam has canceled classes and shut buildings for two days after the latest demonstrations over the war in Gaza turned destructiveABC News - World
More from The Hill
-
Bay Area city presses pause on controversial sea-spray climate project
The East Bay Area city of Alameda, Calif., has temporarily halted a boat-based climate research project, as local officials work to determine whether spraying sea salt particles into the air poses any environmental or health risks to members of ...The Hill - Politics - Climate -
Maryland's volatile Senate primary comes to a head
Welcome to The Hill's Campaign newsletter {beacon} Campaign Report Campaign Report The Big Story Maryland’s volatile Senate primary comes to a head A blistering battle in Maryland over which Democrat will go on to face former Maryland Gov. ...The Hill - Politics -
GOP strategist to take a spin guest DJing on Sinatra radio channel
WE HEAR: GOP strategist Doug Heye is temporarily trading political punditry for weighing in on the Sultan of Swoon, with a guest DJ gig on a SiriusXM channel devoted to Frank Sinatra. Heye, the former Republican National Committee communications ...The Hill - Politics -
Federal student loan interest rates highest in more than a decade
The Department of Education announced Tuesday that federal student loan interest rates for the 2024-2025 school year hit 6.53 percent, up from 5.5 percent the previous year. Higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz told CNBC the new undergraduate ...The Hill - Politics -
Campus protests and the tyranny of certainty
People on the ends of the spectrum are not interested in nuance, because absolutes are so much easier to defend — all you need to do is repeat your perspective and refuse to engage in dialogue. After all, you are right, so what else is there to say?The Hill - Politics