GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference Wednesday morning at the University of Florida in Gainesville where he spoke about the recent protests on college campuses revolving around the Israel-Hamas war, vowing to keep law and order on Florida’s campuses.
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Pro-Palestine protesters could be heard chanting loudly in the background throughout the news conference.
“You know, I wasn’t here after Oct. 7 on the campus,” DeSantis said. “I’m sure those protesters were all very upset at the fact that Hamas went into Israeli communities and baked babies in ovens, raped women, assassinated elderly people in very brutal ways. I’m sure they were very upset about that – Oh no, they weren’t. That’s right. They didn’t care about that. They were completely fine with those massacres happening and they had no -- no concern about that.”
The governor also blasted criticism of the “occupation of the Gaza strip.”
“The Gaza strip is not occupied, OK?” DeSantis said. “That’s been Hamas’ sanctuary for many years now and did they create opportunities for people? Did they utilize the natural resources? No. They focused their efforts on terrorism and that’s what’s happened. And so, so much of this is just such a farce. It’s just kind of embarrassing to hear some of this nonsense.”
The governor has previously taken to X, formerly Twitter, to denounce pro-Palestine protesters, calling them “Hamas protesters” and warning that any students involved in unsanctioned protests at state colleges and universities would face expulsion.
“At places like Columbia and Yale, Hamas protesters rule the roost, and the universities are too weak and scared to do anything — even as these mobs harass Jewish students and faculty,” the governor said on X. “If you try that at a Florida university, you are going to be expelled.”
At places like Columbia and Yale, Hamas protesters rule the roost, and the universities are too weak and scared to do anything—even as these mobs harass Jewish students and faculty.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) April 25, 2024
If you try that at a Florida university, you are going to be expelled. pic.twitter.com/pY1VkoiTwn
The governor also addressed the protests Tuesday when asked about them by a reporter at a news conference on sales tax holidays, saying “They should not be able to camp out on university lawns. I know they tried to do that at UF and FSU, and they got escorted out very quickly. That’s what should happen at Florida universities. The inmates do not get to run the asylum here.”
In addition to speaking about college campus protests, the governor also announced Wednesday that the state would be setting aside $20 million to support Jewish day schools and will approve nearly $570 million for K-12 school safety funding in the budget.
He said $20 million would also to go HBCU colleges in Florida to increase security and infrastructure.
As part of the effort to improve school security, the governor said drones will now be prohibited from flying over school campuses.