White House condemns antisemitism at college protests
By Jacqueline Howard
The White House has condemned “blatantly antisemitic” statements during ongoing student protests against the war in Gaza.
As protests at Columbia University entered a fifth day, deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said students had the right to peaceful protest.
But he denounced “calls for violence and physical intimidation targeting Jewish students”.
More than 100 students were arrested at the New York university this week.
The arrests came after police cleared a protest encampment at the elite institution.
College campuses across the US have been rocked by demonstrations for months.
The White House statement on Sunday came after videos posted online appeared to show some protesters expressing support for the 7 October attacks.
“While every American has the right to peaceful protest, calls for violence and physical intimidation targeting Jewish students and the Jewish community are blatantly antisemitic, unconscionable, and dangerous,” the statement read.
