The White House has acknowledged the pro-Palestinian protests that have been taking place on college campuses across the United States. White House Deputy Press Secretary stated that President Joe Biden is aware of the protests and that the administration is closely monitoring the situations.
The administration has condemned what they described as 'alarming rhetoric' at some student protests. While expressing support for Americans' right to peacefully protest, the White House emphasized that calls for violence, physical intimidation, and anti-Semitic rhetoric are unacceptable and will be denounced.
The President believes that silence in the face of such behavior is complicity and has been using his platforms to ensure the safety of all Americans. However, the White House did not comment on the suggestion made by some Republicans to deploy the National Guard to respond to the protests at Columbia University.
The decision to deploy National Guard members, if deemed necessary, would be under the jurisdiction of New York Governor Kathy Hochul. The White House reiterated its commitment to upholding the right to peaceful protest while condemning any form of violence or hate speech.