US President Joe Biden breaks silence on campus protests over Gaza: ‘Order must prevail’

US President Joe Biden on Thursday defended the right to protest but insisted that “order must prevail” as college campuses across the country face unrest over the war in Gaza. “Dissent is essential for democracy,” he said at the White House. “But dissent must never lead to disorder.” The Democratic president also said the protests have not caused him to reconsider his approach to the war. Biden has occasionally criticised Israel’s conduct but continued to supply it with weapons. Biden said the campus protests haven’t prompted him to rethink his Middle East policies, and he opposes sending in National Guard.