President Biden’s 2020 White House run was motivated by the events in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017, and his criticism of former President Trump’s response to those events. He condemned the riots as spewing “antisemitic bile” and saw them as a severe threat to the nation. However, he is now facing his own “Charlottesville moment” as antisemitism runs rampant on college campuses, including Columbia University, where protesters chanted hateful slogans against Jewish students and showed support for Hamas.
The protests in Charlottesville in 2017 were a display of bigotry and violence that led to three deaths and numerous injuries. Both Republicans and Democrats condemned the events, including former President Trump who was criticized for his response that suggested there was blame on both sides. Biden has repeatedly cited Charlottesville, even pointing to Trump’s comments as a motivation for his presidential run. However, he has faced criticism for not visiting the city following the protests.
Biden is currently facing a new wave of protests on college campuses that are demanding divestment from Israel and showing support for Hamas. The protests have intensified since Hamas launched its attacks against Israel last year. Anti-Israel campus groups have been compared to actual terror organizations, with Jewish students warned to leave campus due to extreme antisemitism. The violent protests have led to multiple arrests on various campuses.
Critics have slammed Biden for his response to the protests, with many drawing parallels between his remarks and those made by Trump following the Charlottesville riots. Some have accused him of pandering to the antisemitic left and failing to confront the issue in the same way he did with right-wing antisemitism. The Democratic Party’s stance on Israel has become a divisive issue within the party, with progressives facing backlash for not condemning Hamas forcefully enough.
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, who has openly supported Israel, has compared the protests on college campuses to Charlottesville, emphasizing the dangerous and antisemitic nature of the demonstrations. The Biden administration has condemned the protests as blatantly antisemitic, but the president is facing mounting pressure to take a stronger stance against the violence. The Abandon Biden movement in battleground states like Michigan and Wisconsin is critical of the president’s support for Israel during its conflict with Gaza, accusing Israel of genocide.
It remains to be seen how President Biden will address the escalating protests on college campuses and the growing antisemitism within his own party. The comparisons to Charlottesville and the criticism he has faced for his response are likely to remain ongoing challenges for his administration. The issue of Israel and Palestine continues to be a divisive topic within the Democratic Party, with progressives facing staunch opposition from Jewish communities and conservatives. Biden’s handling of these protests and his stance on Israel will be closely monitored in the coming weeks and months.
