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
-
19 pro-Palestinian protesters arrested for trying to occupy UPenn building
The University of Pennsylvania said 19 protesters were arrested for trying to occupy a campus building on Friday night.ABC News - Top stories -
Sex offender arrested after faking death to avoid registering, Arizona sheriff says
A convicted sex offender tried to fake his own death to avoid registering, an Arizona sheriff said this week.NBC News - Top stories -
What Some Colleges Promised Pro-Palestinian Protesters Over Israel-Hamas War
Several universities struck agreements with pro-Palestinian demonstrators to end disruptive encampments on their campuses. But some of those agreements are already under fire.The New York Times - Top stories - Israel -
Larry Hogan says he's 'pro-choice' and supports enshrining abortion rights in federal law
Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, is casting himself as "pro choice," a significant shift from his earlier position on abortion.NBC News - Top stories - Abortion
More from The Hill
-
Biden urges Atlanta voters to stand up against Trump: 'He's running for revenge'
President Biden during a campaign reception in Atlanta urged his supporters to stand up against former President Trump, as the two party front-runners head toward a rematch in November. Biden in remarks Saturday at Mary Mac's Tea Room, argued that ...The Hill - Politics - Joe Biden -
Ex-Trump attorney on hush money trial visitors: 'Not something that I would be encouraging'
Timothy Parlatore, former President Trump’s ex-attorney, weighed in on the appearance of several political figures at the former president's hush money trial in New York City. Parlatore signaled that the visit from high-profile Republicans — ...The Hill - Politics -
Israeli war cabinet member demands overhaul of Netanyahu's post-conflict vision for Gaza
Israeli politician Benny Gantz demanded an overhaul of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's post-conflict vision for Gaza Saturday, threatening to step down from the war cabinet if his concerns were not addressed. Gantz, seen as a chief rival of ...The Hill - Politics - Israel -
Three Illinois cities will pay you thousands to move there
At least three cities in Illinois are offering to pay people thousands of dollars to move there. Under certain conditions, of course.The Hill - Politics -
Atlanta zoo set to return last giant pandas in US to China
Zoo Atlanta is preparing to send its giant pandas back to China, following suit with other states, the zoo confirmed Friday in a press release. “With the 2024 expiration of Zoo Atlanta’s giant panda agreement with China, preliminary plans are ...The Hill - Politics - China