ORLANDO, Fla. — Protesters chanted “Free Palestine” and other slogans nonstop at the University of Florida on Wednesday as Gov. Ron DeSantis touted the efforts by Florida universities to prevent the “nonsense” happening on other campuses across the country.

Standing on the Plaza of the Americas in front of the school’s main library with UF President Ben Sasse and university Chancellor Ray Rodrigues, DeSantis never acknowledged the dozens of protesters as he criticized how Columbia, UCLA and other schools have dealt with the encampments, occupation of school buildings and disruption of graduation ceremonies.

“We don’t do that here in the state of Florida. And so they did have an encampment here, and it lasted about a few minutes,” DeSantis said.

“You don’t have the right to commandeer property. You don’t have the right to take over parts of the university. You don’t have the right to attack students based on their ethnicity, and we’re going to make sure that’s upheld,” DeSantis said. “If they’re not keeping order, we will find new people who will keep order.”

Even though protesters were banned from setting up tents on the UF campus, they have maintained a 24/7 presence by maintaining their spot in shifts, according to the Independent Alligator, the student-run newspaper.

On Wednesday, metal barriers and state troopers stood between the protesters and DeSantis. One sign read: “UF: DIVEST FROM DEATH.” Several people held bundled, bloody representations of dead babies.

The protests have been sparked by the war between Israel and Hamas terrorists that began when Hamas attacked Israel neighborhoods near Gaza on Oct. 7. During those attacks, 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and more than 240 people were taken hostage.

DeSantis and others have characterized the protests as pro-Hamas instead of pro-Palestinian and antisemitic instead of in opposition to Israel’s execution of the war. DeSantis claimed the campus protesters “didn’t care” that Hamas terrorists raped women and killed Israeli men, women and children.

Protesters have called on universities to divest from Israel, citing the reported deaths of more than 34,000 Palestinian men, women and children in Gaza from Israel’s bombings and ground assault.

Police in Florida have people since protests began, including nine at UF on April 29. At the University of South Florida in Tampa, 10 were arrested on April 30 after authorities used tear gas to disperse a crowd. Authorities arrested five people at Florida State University that same day and 16 protesters at the University of North Florida on May 2.

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