Whoopi Goldberg Fights Tears on The View, Defends ‘Mad’ Student Protesters.
Whoopi Goldberg, host of The View, appeared to hold back tears as she supported student protesters at colleges nationwide, emphasizing that voicing dissent is “one of the great rights as an American.”
Over 700 arrests have been made by police dismantling the protests, which have recently escalated to include at least 76 universities across the U.S. This Monday, Columbia University issued a stern warning to protesting students to disperse or face suspension, as their demonstration persisted into its 14th day.
During Monday’s episode of the ABC show, a solemn silence filled the studio as Whoopi, aged 68, paused and lowered her head to gather her thoughts before stating, “Since I haven’t said anything, I’m sorry, I do have to do this.
It is a fundamental American right to stand up and declare when something is wrong, regardless of race, gender, or any other factor, and we need to educate our people to be vigilant. One of our challenges is that the media often chooses what makes the best clickbait,” she explained.
She added, “You often see the same images repeated—the same posters, the same people—but not those who are peacefully stating their intentions and demands.”
She urged the media to exercise caution in their coverage, suggesting they might be perpetuating a narrative that students and others are actively opposing. “I’m thrilled to see students get angry and demand change,” she noted.
It appears that initially, Goldberg had assured The View’s executive producer, Brian Teta, that she wouldn’t make a speech. However, she humorously remarked, “Unfortunately, I see Brian side-eyeing me, getting annoyed because I said I wouldn’t say anything. So he knows me for the liar that I am.”
However, Whoopi was not alone in her passionate response on the panel. Sunny Hostin argued, “I think we need to reconsider how we’re framing these college protests.
“College campuses have traditionally been hotbeds for anti-war protests as far back as I can remember. The scale of recent protests doesn’t even compare to the massive student movements of the late 1960s against the Vietnam War or the 1980s protests against apartheid in South Africa.
“We saw successful calls to divest from South African companies during apartheid, which Nelson Mandela credited as a significant factor in liberating South Africa from that regime. So, I view these as anti-war protests, and it’s troubling that they’re being categorized strictly as pro-Palestinian or pro-Israeli protests.”
Sunny, a mother of two, elaborated: “These are anti-war protests, and the students from several Ivy League schools I’ve spoken with describe this as a humanitarian crisis.
“Another significant issue that isn’t discussed enough is that 35,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed.”
She continued, “What often goes unmentioned, I believe, is the criticism of Israel’s policies, which the U.N. has labeled as war crimes and the International Criminal Court is investigating as such. We fail to acknowledge that these are civilians, people who need protection.”
Earlier, Whoopi had addressed the panel, saying, “Let’s be very clear, no one endorses any anti-Semitic hate speech or wants students to fear for their safety. But isn’t their right to peacefully protest to end violence part of what it means to be an American, and part of standing up against what’s wrong?”
Former White House aide Alyssa Farah Griffin then weighed in on the discussion.
“The key issue here is the balance between free speech and the right to assembly against the need for Jews to feel safe on college campuses,” the 34-year-old started.
“As a Lebanese American, I’m appalled to see Hezbollah flags, recognized as a terrorist organization, being displayed on American college campuses. I understand that these students are protesting for peace, calling for a ceasefire.
“However, it’s important to note that there was a ceasefire before October 7th. Since then, Israel has offered two ceasefire proposals, both rejected by Hamas. According to its own charter, specifically Article 13, Hamas rejects any peaceful resolution or negotiated peace.”
Alyssa Farah Griffin continued, addressing the escalating tensions: “The rhetoric has shifted into something much more radical and anti-Semitic, with claims that Jews do not belong on campus.”
“I spoke with Alex Edelman’s brother who had his yarmulke torn off and was grabbed by the neck simply for being Jewish. This needs to be called out. Jews are facing fear from white nationalists on one side and, on the other side, far-leftists who, in some cases, are effectively aligning with terrorists.”
Sara Haines then expressed her concerns about how these issues are affecting students’ education and urged universities to take a more active role.
“What bothers me is that there are parents who just want their children to learn. Yet, we’re seeing graduations and classes being canceled,” she noted. “Colleges should facilitate discussion but not influence it. We should encourage young people to engage with challenging ideas and to protest, but it’s crucial to ensure that this does not devolve into lawlessness, chaos, or violence. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what’s happening on many campuses right now.”
