Michael Moore encourages student protesters to occupy buildings: 'You do have the right'

WASHINGTON (TND) — Film director and producer Michael Moore on his podcast “Rumble” Monday encouraged student protesters to occupy campus buildings, arguing such actions count as peaceful protests.

U.S. universities have become hotbeds of anti-Israel and anti-American sentiment in recent weeks as protesters rally in support of Palestine. While some of these demonstrations have remained peaceful, others have devolved into violence.

Police officers at Columbia University last week swept the school's Hamilton Hall after protesters took over the building. Moore on his podcast cheered the occupiers and called for similar nonviolent protests in favor of Palestine at other schools.

“When I’m talking about nonviolent, I’m talking about you do have the right to take over the administration building,” Moore said.

He also argued students rallying in favor of Palestine are being given an unfairly poor reputation by the media.

“You’ll start to wonder ‘jeez, I’ve just been lied to over and over by pundits, media, politicians over and over and over again,’” Moore said. “Because they want you to turn against these kids.”

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Moore also alleged there is “no such thing” as outside agitators playing a role in these protests. He continued, explaining universities are too involved in their communities to consider anyone as an outsider.

“It’s such a joke,” he said. “There is no such thing as an outside agitator.”

Leaders nationwide have asserted the majority of demonstrators arrested at their school protests were not affiliated with their schools. New York City Mayor Eric Adams warned last week of a "global problem" of professionals seeking to "radicalize" young people.

Moore is the creator of “Michael Moore in TrumpLand,” a documentary in which he “dives right into hostile territory” to “Make America Sane Again.” He also directed “Capitalism: A Love Story,” which describes the U.S. economic system as “a system that claims to reward free enterprise but in fact rewards greed.”

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