White House dodges questions on college administrators' response to anti-Israel protests on campuses

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dodged respective questions during a property briefing connected Monday, regarding nan responses of galore universities successful nan U.S. arsenic anti-Israel protests, which sometimes move violent, proceed to flare up.

Colleges from seashore to coast, including galore Ivy League schools for illustration Columbia, Yale, Harvard and Penn, person seen dayslong protests connected campuses, pinch students demanding their schools wholly divest from Israel arsenic nan decease toll successful Gaza continues to increase.

One newsman connected Monday asked Jean-Pierre whether President Biden aliases anyone other successful nan White House had spoken pinch activity astatine Columbia University, and if nan president was happy pinch really schoolhouse administrators are handling nan situation.

"The president has ever been clear that while Americans person nan correct to peacefully protest…he stands squarely, squarely against immoderate rhetoric, convulsive rhetoric, immoderate hate, dislike threats and beingness intimidation and dislike speech," she said, adding location is nary spot for antisemitism connected assemblage campuses aliases anyplace else. "It is simply a achy moment, we get that. But it is simply a achy infinitesimal that Americans are dealing with, and free look has to beryllium done wrong nan law. And, you know, we're going to proceed to beryllium very clear astir that."

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS FAIL TO REACH DEAL, PRESIDENT ASKS CAMP TO 'VOLUNTARILY DISPERSE'

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre successful nan Brady Press Briefing Room astatine nan White House connected on January 03, 2024 successful Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The property caput did not reply nan mobility astir whether Biden was satisfied pinch really universities are handling nan situation. And that was not nan only mobility she dodged.

Jean-Pierre was asked if nan White House thought it was adjacent that protesters astatine Columbia aliases different schools were being threatened pinch probation aliases different disciplinary actions, and whether students should time off a protestation earlier a deadline being fixed by assemblage unit astatine Columbia.

To some questions, Jean-Pierre said she would not comment.

VIRGINIA TECH POLICE PHYSICALLY CARRY AWAY ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS AMID EFFORT TO RESTORE PEACE ON CAMPUS

University of Texas constabulary officers apprehension a man astatine a pro-Palestinian protestation astatine UT connected Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Jay Janner/American-Statesman)

"These are institutions. Some of them are private, immoderate of them are public, and it is up to their leadership, assemblage activity and colleges, to make that decision," she responded to nan first question.

She astir echoed her consequence to nan 2nd question.

"I’m conscionable not going to remark connected activity astatine colleges and universities….that’s for them to decide," Jean-Pierre said. "We’ve been very clear."

TRUMP SAYS 4 WORDS ABOUT ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES AS ARRESTS SKYROCKET

An anti-Israel protester successful Cambridge connected Monday shouted slurs astatine nan pro-Israel counter-protesters, calling them "pigs" and "Nazis."  (Kassy Dillon/Fox News Digital)

Other topics that were dodged included whether nan White House was concerned astir information astatine graduations; nan consequence of nan Biden management to nan usage of constabulary unit successful immoderate of nan assemblage protests; nan Biden administration’s guidance to nan repercussions of nan protests and really they person impacted students connected campuses successful position of nan University of Southern California canceling graduation and George Washington University moving exams; and if nan White House supported having antisemitism monitors connected campus.

In astir each response, Jean-Pierre stuck to nan connection that Biden is successful favour of serene protests and condemns antisemitism and immoderate shape of hate.

But this is thing new.

CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY REVEALS ‘TRUE COST’ OF ANTI-ISRAEL MOB THAT TOOK OVER ACADEMIC BUILDINGS

President Biden said he expects Iran to onslaught Israel and tensions proceed to flare betwixt to nan 2 nations.  (Photographer: Jacquelyn Martin/AP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

On Sunday, nan White House remained silent connected if nan management plans to barroom student protesters from eligibility for student indebtedness forgiveness programs. One point Biden campaigned connected successful 2020 was forgiving student indebtedness debt, pledging to cancel astatine slightest $10,000 per borrower backmost successful 2020.

While Biden denounced nan protests, he came nether disapproval past week for besides condemning those "who don’t understand what’s going connected pinch nan Palestinians."

"I condemn nan antisemitic protests. That’s why I person group up a programme to woody pinch that. I besides condemn those who don't understand what's going connected pinch nan Palestinians," Biden told reporters this month. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Critics person compared it to Trump’s remarks successful 2017, pursuing a two-day riot successful Charlottesville, Virginia, erstwhile White nationalists descended connected nan city. Trump said astatine nan clip that nan unit had "no spot successful America," while adding location was "blame connected some sides" and "very good people, connected some sides."

Emma Colton of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.