Former US President Trump condemned the violent protests on college campuses across America that are anti-Israel and pro-Palestine, questioning whether Columbia University students occupying a building will face consequences similar to those of the January 6th Capitol riots.
On Tuesday, Trump stood outside the courthouse and told reporters, “They (protesters) stormed the university, causing chaos at Columbia University and sparking national outrage.”
Trump made the remarks outside the courthouse in relation to the “gag order case.” Judge Juan Merchan of the New York State Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday to fine Trump $9,000 for violating a gag order preventing him from publicly discussing jurors, witnesses, or relatives of attorneys or staff in his recent nine social media posts, with a $1,000 fine for each violation.
“I mean, they took over – I know the building very well. They took over a teaching building, which is a big deal,” Trump said outside the courthouse. The former president continued, “I don’t know if they will face similar consequences to those of the J6 event because they caused a lot of damage, a lot of loss, and many people were seriously injured.”
“Let’s wait and see. I think I could give you the answer right now. That’s why people have lost confidence in our judicial system,” Trump said.
In recent days, Trump has criticized Biden over university protest activities, linking the anger on campuses across the country to the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Earlier on Tuesday, students took control of Hamilton Hall on the campus of Columbia University in New York, blocking the entrance and chanting slogans in support of Palestine. Except for students living in dormitories and essential staff, the campus has been closed to everyone.
According to reports by the Associated Press, about 1,000 people nationwide have been arrested during the protests.
This is the first time Trump has juxtaposed the sweeping university protest activities in the US with the events of January 6, 2021.
According to data released by the US federal prosecutor’s office, over the past three years, federal prosecutors have brought charges against over 1,265 defendants in nearly all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with 467 people sentenced to imprisonment, and some cases still pending.
In May last year, a member of the Oath Keepers involved in the January 6 Capitol riot was sentenced to over 8 years in prison, while the founder of this far-right extremist group, Stewart Rhodes, received an 18-year prison sentence, the longest sentence handed down in the hundreds of cases related to the Capitol events.
Trump has expressed sympathy multiple times for some of the rioters charged in connection with the January 6 events and indicated that if re-elected, one of his top priorities would be to release those “wrongly imprisoned” for the J6 Capitol incident.