White House condemns pro-Palestine Columbia University protesters who storm buildings, calls ‘intifada’ banner ‘hate speech’

The White House on Tuesday condemned the pro-Palestine Columbia University protesters who stormed Hamilton Hall and unfurled a banner reading “intifada.”

“President Biden has stood up against abhorrent, anti-Semitic smears and violent rhetoric throughout his life. “He condemns the use of the term ‘intifada’, just as he has highlighted other tragic and dangerous hate speech in recent days,” spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement obtained by DailyMail.com.

The phrase is used to encourage violence against Jews and Israelis.

“President Biden respects the right to free speech, but protests must be peaceful and lawful,” Bates continued. ‘Taking over buildings by force is not peaceful, it is wrong. And hate speech and hate symbols have no place in America.”

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby called the forced takeover of a building on Columbia’s campus “absolutely the wrong approach” when asked about the demonstrations during a news conference Tuesday morning.

Pro-Palestinian protesters hung an “intifada” banner at Hamilton Hall on the Columbia University campus Monday evening

“That is not an example of peaceful protest,” Kirby said. “And of course, as you rightly pointed out, hate speech and symbols of hatred have no place in this country.”

Kirby said a “small percentage of students” should not interrupt the academic experience of the majority.

“Students who pay to go to school and want an education should be able to do so without disruption and they should be able to do so and feel safe doing so,” Kirby continued. ‘And they should certainly be able to graduate and participate in a graduation ceremony.’

Kirby was also asked if President Joe Biden supported deploying the National Guard to campuses.

He pointed to comments from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre last week when she said this was an issue for governors to take up.

“That decision-making has to start with the governor,” Kirby reiterated. ‘You choose the state because that is their responsibility. There are no active efforts to federalize the National Guard at this time.”

According to to the Columbia SpectatorDozens of protesters broke into Hamilton Halls after midnight on Tuesday, breaking windows, barricading the doors and blocking the entrances with wooden tables and chairs and securing the doors with zip ties.

A banner reading “intifada” hangs in Hamilton Hall, which was taken over by student demonstrators after midnight on Tuesday

Broken windows could be seen in Hamilton Hall on Tuesday as anti-Israel protesters on the Columbia University campus continued to occupy the building

A “Free Palestine” banner was also hung from a Hamilton Hall window on Tuesday after student demonstrators took over the academic building shortly after midnight.

Campus officials had ordered students to dismantle their protest camp by 2 p.m. on Monday or face suspension.

Instead, things got louder on campus with the takeover of Hamilton Hall.

Students hung a banner reading “Hind’s Hall” in honor of 6-year-old Hind Rajab, who died in Gaza in January.

As of Tuesday, the building remained occupied by the student protesters as Columbia’s Morningside campus went into lockdown.

The building was also taken over by demonstrators in April 1968, in the weeks following the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

Students protested against racism and advocated for the end of the Vietnam War.