White House condemns antisemitism, violent anti-Israel anarchy at Columbia University: ‘No place in America’

The White House condemned the mob of anti-Israel protesters who violently seized a building at Columbia University late Monday, saying “hate speech and hate symbols have no place in America.”

On Monday night, a massive mob of anti-Israel students broke into an academic building — the iconic Hamilton Hall on the Manhattan campus — and barricaded its doors. A Columbia University facilities worker said the protesters “held me hostage.” 

Outside of Hamilton Hall, the anti-Israel rebels form a human barricade by linking their arms and vowing to remain until the university meets their three demands.

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Students at Columbia University broke into Hamilton Hall on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (Getty Images/Alex Kent)

The students are demanding the university divest their financial support of Israel, become more transparent with its investments, and provide blanket amnesty to the protesting students for any consequences.

President Biden did not speak publicly on the violent antisemitic protests Tuesday morning, but the White House released a statement on his behalf. 

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“President Biden has stood against repugnant, Antisemitic smears and violent rhetoric his entire life,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement. “He condemns the use of the term ‘intifada,’ as he has the other tragic and dangerous hate speech displayed in recent days.

The White House responds to violence at anti-Israel demonstrations at Columbia University (Getty | AP Images)

“President Biden respects the right to free expression, but protests must be peaceful and lawful,” Bates continued. “Forcibly taking over buildings is not peaceful — it is wrong.” 

He added: “And hate speech and hate symbols have no place in America.”

ANTI-ISRAEL MOB REBRANDS ICONIC HAMILTON HALL FOLLOWING INSURRECTION AT COLUMBIA

Columbia University announced its indefinite closure Tuesday morning “until circumstances allow otherwise.”

Demonstrators supporting Palestinians in Gaza barricade themselves inside Hamilton Hall, an academic building which has been occupied in past student movements, on April 30, 2024 in New York City. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched as a 2 p.m. deadline to clear the encampment given to students by the university came and went. The students were given a suspension warning if they did not meet the deadline. Students at Columbia were the first from an elite college to erect an encampment, demanding that the school divest from Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war, in which more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip.   (Alex Kent/Getty Images)

“Effective immediately, access to the Morningside campus has been limited to students residing in residential buildings on campus (Carman, Furnald, John Jay, Hartley, Wallach, East Campus and Wien) and employees who provide essential services to campus buildings, labs and residential student life (for example, Dining, Public Safety, and building maintenance staff). There is no additional access to the Morningside campus,” a statement from the university said.

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It added: “This access restriction will remain in place until circumstances allow otherwise.”

In the post, the university said that the safety of students remained “paramount” and thanked the community for “understanding” the current crisis.

“The safety of every single member of this community is paramount. We thank you for your patience, cooperation and understanding,” the statement read.