Trump decries Columbia agitators, calls Charlottesville 'peanuts' compared to campus anti-Israel unrest

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Jonathan Turley warns 'professional agitators, anarchists' are joining college protests

Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley joins 'Fox & Friends' to discuss the anti-Israel protests and encampments on college campuses and schools' responses. 

Former President Trump blasted the antisemitic unrest taking place at Columbia University on Tuesday, while describing the violent 2017 Charlottesville rally as "peanuts" compared to the unrest on the college campus. 

Trump spoke to reporters outside the courtroom on Tuesday before the third week of his unprecedented criminal trial stemming from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation begins. 

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The former president and presumptive Republican presidential nominee decried agitators at Columbia University, who have created massive pro-Palestinian encampments on the campus in recent weeks. 

Demonstrators supporting Palestinians in Gaza barricade themselves inside Hamilton Hall, an academic building which has been occupied in past student movements, on April 30, 2024 in New York City.  (Alex Kent/Getty Images)

But on Monday night, a massive mob of anti-Israel students broke into an academic building — the iconic Hamilton Hall on the Manhattan campus — and barricaded its doors. A university facilities worker said the protesters "held me hostage." 

Outside of Hamilton Hall, the anti-Israel agitators formed a human barricade by linking their arms and vowing to remain until the university meets their three demands.

The students are demanding the university divest from financial support of Israel, become more transparent with its investments, and provide blanket amnesty to the protesting students for any consequences.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he leaves court during his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court  on April 22, 2024 in New York City. Former President Donald Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first of his criminal cases to go to trial.  (Brendan McDermid-Pool/Getty Images)

The university has since been forced to close its campus indefinitely "until circumstances allow otherwise." 

"The Biden protests that are going on are horrible — it is all caused by him because he doesn’t speak — he can’t put two sentences together," Trump said. "He’s got to get out and make a statement because the colleges are being overrun in this country." 

Trump said "the antisemitism, all of the problems going on, they’re being overrun." 

"I’ve never seen anything like it," Trump said. 

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"[Biden] said he ran because of Charlottesville," Trump said, referring to the 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Violence broke out between White nationalists and counterprotesters. A counter-protester was killed in a car attack during the chaotic scene. 

Students at Columbia University took over Hamilton Hall, an academic used by the dean, and rebranded it, "Hind's Hall." (Getty Images/Alex Kent)

Trump has been criticized for his comments surrounding the incident, particularly his statement that there were good people on "both sides." Trump, at the time, also blamed "many sides" for the violence. 

"Well, if the people that know Charlottesville, when you extend that statement, it’s a big hoax," Trump said Tuesday. "Charlottesville is peanuts compared to what you’re looking at now." 

Trump said the entire country "is up in arms."

"Breaking into colleges, knocking the hell out of Columbia University, I mean — they took over the building. I know the building very well," Trump said. "They took over a building and that is a big deal." 

Trump also questioned whether the students would be held accountable. 

"I wonder what’s going to happen to them, or anything comparable to what happened to J6, because they’re doing a lot of destruction, a lot of damage, a lot of people are getting hurt very badly," Trump said, comparing the Columbia University protest to the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. 

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Many who stormed the Capitol that day have been prosecuted. 

A group of Columbia University students, advocating for Palestinians, access the iconic Hamilton Hall building as they gather to stage a demonstration at the campus in New York, United States on April 30, 2024.   (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images)

"I wonder if it’s going to be the same kind of treatment they gave J6—let’s see how that all works out," he said. "I think I can give you the answer right now and that’s why people have lost faith in our court system." 

Trump went on to blast Biden, saying "the violent protests are a disaster and he hasn’t even made a statement." 

"Because he’s not capable of making a statement," Trump said. "I’m still waiting for him to debate…We would love to debate any time." 

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Biden has not yet spoken publicly on the anarchy at Columbia University, but the White House released a statement on his behalf Tuesday morning. 

"President Biden has stood against repugnant, Antisemitic smears and violent rhetoric his entire life," White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement. "He condemns the use of the term ‘intifada,’ as he has the other tragic and dangerous hate speech displayed in recent days." 

A group of Columbia University students, advocating for Palestinians, access the iconic Hamilton Hall building as they gather to stage a demonstration at the campus in New York, United States on April 30, 2024. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The White House said "President Biden respects the right to free expression, but protests must be peaceful and lawful." 

"Forcibly taking over buildings is not peaceful – it is wrong," Bates said. "And hate speech and hate symbols have no place in America."

Meanwhile, Columbia University Tuesday morning said it would remain closed.

President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event at the Martin Luther King Recreation Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"Effective immediately, access to the Morningside campus has been limited to students residing in residential buildings on campus …. and employees who provide essential services to campus buildings, labs and residential student life (for example, Dining, Public Safety, and building maintenance staff). There is no additional access to the Morningside campus," a statement from the university said.

It added: "This access restriction will remain in place until circumstances allow otherwise."

In the post, the university said that the safety of students remained "paramount" and thanked the community for "understanding" the current crisis.

Students at Columbia University broke into Hamilton Hall on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (Getty Images/Alex Kent)

"The safety of every single member of this community is paramount. We thank you for your patience, cooperation and understanding," the statement read.

The lockdown came as an unruly mob of anti-Israel protesters broke into Hamilton Hall shortly before 1 a.m.

Last week, Trump blasted the university for its initial campus closure amid the encampment. 

"Columbia should gain a little strength, a little courage and keep their school open."

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Trump’s comments came after students at Columbia University were instructed that classes had shifted to virtual or hybrid amid ongoing safety concerns stemming from the anti-Israel demonstrations on the campus.

"It’s crazy because that means the other side wins," Trump said Tuesday. "When you start closing down colleges and universities — that means the other side [wins.]"