White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre gave a short-sighted response Wednesday when Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked her who was funding anti-Israel campus protests.
Hundreds of protesters have been arrested across the United States for trying to take over university campuses and violently clashing with law enforcement, forcing them to disperse. A mob of more than 200 protesters at Columbia University barricaded Hamilton Hall early Tuesday morning and took three janitors hostage, leading to about 100 arrests and the possibility of several being expelled.
Jean-Pierre did not directly answer whether President Joe Biden’s administration would investigate how these protests are funded.
“We have heard that some of these encampments have matching tents set up and that outside professional agitators are involved. We don’t know whether it’s people or foreign entities. Does President Biden want his administration to find out who is funding some of these protests?”
“All I can say is, you know, uh… I can’t… I can’t talk to local organizations that are being reported on. That’s not for me to talk about. It’s obviously for local government, local officials. And I keep saying that the local government, local officials, they’re going to have better information about that, and what we’ve said so far and here. I don’t think it’s been reiterated yet, but the Department of Justice and the FBI will continue to provide support to universities in compliance with federal law. That’s what the Department of Justice and the FBI are doing with local organizations. As far as what’s being reported at the scene, that’s certainly what local law enforcement is looking into.”
Mr. Doocy accused Mr. Jean-Pierre of complicit in the 2017 Charlottesville, Virginia, riots by remaining silent, even though former President Donald Trump has remained silent about growing anti-Semitism on college campuses. He accused the president of having done so. (Related article: KJP quickly pivots to Charlottesville after Doocy confronts her about pro-hamas leftists)
“When it comes to hate speech and anti-Semitism, the president has not been silent on this issue.”
“That’s what he is this week,” Doocy interjected.
“Wait, wait, he launched the first-ever anti-Semitism strategy to counter anti-Semitism, something no other president has done. No other president has ever done it—” Told.
“A school building on an Ivy League campus was taken over,” Doocy claimed.
“And we called it out and said it is not a peaceful protest. Occupying a university or college building is not a peaceful protest and we have said it very clearly. We have taken more than 100 new actions to address anti-Semitism in this administration, something no other administration has ever done before. ,” she said.
Protesters on campus prevented Jewish students and professors from entering buildings and attending classes. Rabbi Elie Buechler, a member of the Orthodox Jewish Learning Initiative on Columbia University’s campus, sent a WhatsApp message to about 300 mostly Orthodox Jewish students to ensure their safety. advised them to leave campus. according to On CNN.
According to sources, pro-Palestinian leaders at Columbia University surrounded three Jewish students who had entered the camp, holding signs that read “Zionists have invaded the camp.” video that circulated on the internet.
“It was really scary. Immediately about 75 people gathered around us and were doing everything he told us to do,” said Jewish student Avi Weinberg. according to In the New York Times. “Suddenly we were called ‘Zionists’ in their camp. He set a target on our backs.”
Fellow protest leader Kaimani James said in a video that Zionists “don’t deserve to live” and that we should be thankful that Zionists “don’t just go out and kill” them. said.
