Police have arrested over 2,200 people at anti-Israel protests on college campuses across the U.S. in recent weeks.
The protests have disrupted campuses with tent encampments and occupied buildings, requiring police intervention using riot gear and devices to clear areas.
An AP tally recorded at least 56 arrest incidents at 43 schools.
Former President Trump praised police for their handling of situations at Columbia University and UCLA, saying radical left protesters should not be allowed to “take over.”
“I’m so proud of New York’s finest. They’re great, great people, too. I know so many of them. They’re incredible. They did a job at Columbia. And likewise, in Los Angeles, they did a really good job at UCLA,” Trump said.
“This is a movement from the left, not from the right. The right is not the problem despite what law enforcement likes to say,” Trump said.
He asserted the protests are a movement from the left, not the right, contradicting assertions that right-wing extremism is the primary concern.
“The FBI director said that he worries about the right. Don’t worry about the right; the right is fine. Worry about the left because this is a movement from the left,” Trump said.
The large number of arrests has made clear that authorities are actively working to end disruptions at protests over Israel, while some students seek leniency.
