Staff Reports
Former President Donald Trump recently commented on the 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, comparing it to the current protests over the war in Gaza. Mr. Trump criticized President Biden, suggesting that the current protests are more significant than Charlottesville and blaming the President for sending the wrong message. He also accused Mr. Biden of hating Israel and the Jewish people and not knowing how to handle the situation with Palestinians.
Trump says Charlottesville pales versus pro-Palestinian campus protestshttps://t.co/I2bEnqW7od pic.twitter.com/qdxl6kaW6J
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) April 25, 2024
The “Unite the Right” rally in 2017 was triggered by the decision to remove the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. The rally led to violence, with protesters chanting antisemitic phrases and engaging in fights with opposing protesters. Tragically, a car plowed into a crowd, resulting in the death of a woman, and two state troopers died in a helicopter crash while monitoring the incident.
Mr. Trump previously stated that there were “very fine people” on both sides of the protests, and he also mentioned that there was blame on both sides for the violence. In response to the current protests over the war in Gaza, President Biden condemned the antisemitism expressed and also criticized those who do not understand the situation with the Palestinians.
Mr. Trump’s comments came as university students across the country participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, calling for their schools to cut ties with Israeli entities. President Biden signed a measure that allocates funds to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, with some of the funds for Israel earmarked for aid for Palestinians. This situation has sparked debate and differing viewpoints on the handling of the protests and the conflict in the Middle East.
