The White House harshly criticized a student leader of a pro-Palestinian protest at Columbia University on Friday after his comments resurfaced.
“These dangerous and horrifying statements are upsetting and should serve as a wake-up call. Defending the murder of Jews is terrible,” White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement Friday. Ta.
“President Biden has made clear that violent rhetoric, hate speech, and anti-Semitic rhetoric have no place in America, and we will always stand up against them.”
“Zionists don’t deserve to live,” student Kaimani James said in a January video, adding: “You should be thankful I’m not just going out and killing Zionists.” I heard him say that.
James’ comments came around the same time he met with school officials over social media posts about fighting Zionists.
“I’m not fighting to injure, I’m not fighting to have winners and losers. I’m fighting to kill,” he said at the time.
The student apologized in a social media post on Friday, admitting that his comments were “wrong.”
A Columbia spokeswoman declined to comment on James’ case.
“Calls for or statements of violence that target individuals based on religious, ethnic, or national identity are unacceptable and violate university policy,” the spokesperson said.
As the war between Israel and Hamas continues, student protests focusing on the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip have increased on college campuses across the country, and the White House last week issued a statement saying, “Violence targeting Jewish students…” and physical intimidation.”
“While all Americans have the right to peacefully protest, calls for violence and physical intimidation targeting Jewish students and the Jewish community are blatantly anti-Semitic, unconscionable and dangerous. “There is no place for such calls on a college campus or anywhere in America,” Bates said in a statement Friday.
The Hill reached out to Columbia University.
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