Detroit NAACP president understands pain on both sides of Israel Hamas war

DETROIT (FOX 2) - In just the last two weeks more than a thousand protesters have been arrested at campuses across the country. A local leader of the NAACP is weighing in on the demonstrations.

The videos can be found across social media - From counter-protesters clashing with protesters at the pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA, to New York - where police pulled protesters from a building they occupied at Columbia University.

From coast to coast - including here at the University of Michigan, students continue to call on colleges to divest from Israel, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza - where the death toll has risen to more than 34,000 Palestinians.

"Ultimately the only way that's going to be resolved in our view - is for there to be a two-state solution," said Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony of the Detroit NAACP. "The president has said that - we believe that."

Anthony was asked about the war as he announced that President Joe Biden will be coming to Detroit - the president will be the keynote speaker at their 69th Annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner at Huntington Place on May 19th.

"It's very important that the president come here - in my view - in our view - Michigan is a very important state," Anthony said. "We have the largest number of arab Americans living in this region than anywhere in the country."

The reverend says he understands the pain on both sides of the conflict.

"If there's any people who understand pain and agony it's us - African Americans - we've experienced it," he said. "We are the NAACP - we believe in the right to protest - I've protested - I've been arrested."

The reverend is aware that with President Biden coming to town as the keynote speaker at the NAACP's marquee event - protesters could come as well.

"People have a right to articulate their view," he said. "Hopefully they'll come in and have some dinner and enjoy the event. We don't envision that but we're not concerned about that - we're concerned about having the best Fight for Freedom Fund dinner that we can possibly have, and that's the 69th annual dinner."