Beijing, China:

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned Friday that campus protests sweeping the US over the Center East had been a part of democracy, however criticised the “silence” over the Palestinian militants Hamas.

Police have carried out large-scale arrests in universities throughout the US, at occasions utilizing chemical irritants and tasers to disperse protests over Israel’s conflict with Hamas.

Talking in Beijing following a day of conferences with high-ranking officers, Blinken mentioned such protests had been a “hallmark of our democracy”.

“Our residents make identified their views, their considerations, their anger, at any given time,” Blinken mentioned in China, which tightly controls protests.

“I feel that displays the energy of the nation,” he mentioned.

However he additionally mentioned that protesters had not condemned Hamas, which carried out an unprecedented assault on Israel on October 7.

“As I’ve additionally mentioned earlier than, this might be over tomorrow, it may have been over yesterday, it may have been over months in the past, if Hamas has put down its weapons, stopped hiding behind civilians, launched the hostages,” he mentioned.

“However after all they’ve chosen not to try this and it’s notable there’s silence about Hamas, it is as if it wasn’t even a part of the story,” he added.

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