GOP Senators Josh Hawley and Tom Cotton have demanded that President Biden deploy the National Guard to colleges, including Columbia University, in response to pro-Palestinian protests on campus.
Hawley compared the current situation to the 1957 Little Rock High School integration crisis and urged federal intervention to protect Jewish students.
Cotton went further, calling for the administration to break up the protest groups if local authorities do not take control. He cited the danger to Jewish students and the need to prevent further disruptions.
Columbia University has already taken steps to address the protests, including calling in the New York City Police Department and suspending some students. However, the demonstrations have continued and spread to other campuses, such as Yale University.
The senators’ demands have raised concerns about free speech and the role of federal law enforcement on college campuses.
