White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declared Wednesday that the forcible takeover of buildings by anti-Israel protesters on American college campuses “is not peaceful” while vowing that President Biden is monitoring the simmering unrest “closely.”
Jean-Pierre spoke as demonstrators remained holed up inside the library at Portland State University in Oregon and hours after the NYPD arrested protesters who took over Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall.
“We’ve been very clear on that Americans have the right to peacefully protest. They have a right to peacefully protest, as long as it’s within the law. And that it’s peaceful. Forcibly taking over a building is not peaceful. It’s just not,” Jean-Pierre said.
“Students have the right to feel safe. They have the right to learn… And they have a right to feel safe on campus. They have a right to attend their commencement without feeling unsafe,” she continued. “And what we’re seeing is a small percentage of students, that’s what we’re seeing, they should not be able to disturb or disrupt the academic experience that students have.”
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Jean-Pierre also claimed that Biden is “not doing a both sides scenario here” when it comes to addressing supporters of Israelis and Palestinians.
When asked why Biden hasn’t spoken himself today about the escalating violence and dramatic scenes unfolding at campuses such as UCLA, Jean-Pierre said “The president is being kept regularly updated on what’s happening.
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“He is monitoring the situation closely. So is his team,” she added. “And I would just add that no president, no president has spoken more forcefully about combating antisemitism than this president.”
Jean-Pierre said it is up to colleges and universities to decide on the role that law enforcement will take in breaking up these protests and occupations.
“This is a painful moment and we understand that for many communities,” she said. “And we know that these kinds of charge moments pose challenges for law enforcement.”