White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday it’s “unfortunate” that Columbia University students will experience a scaled-back commencement after demonstrators occupied a campus building that resulted in several people arrested.
“It is unfortunate that a small group of people went too far and cost their classmates this important event," she said.
Quoting remarks from President Joe Biden last week, Jean-Pierre told reporters during the White House press briefing, “destroying property is not a peaceful protest — it's against the law. Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, shutting down campuses, forcing the cancellation of classes, and graduations — none of this is a peaceful protest.”
Earlier Monday, CNN reported Columbia planned to cancel the university-wide commencement ceremony planned for next week and will be holding smaller events instead due in part to security concerns, per a university official. The university official told CNN that security concerns were one of the main reasons for the decision not to hold a large commencement ceremony.
Jean-Pierre told reporters that President Joe Biden, who’s scheduled to deliver the commencement addresses at Morehouse College and at West Point later this month, “understands that this is a moment of joy, a moment of celebration — and we feel for them.”
“We feel for each of the graduates, and we're going to continue to reiterate the President's comments and statements and what we've said from this podium — to call for protests peacefully, and that's what we're going to continue to do, but we do feel for them," she said. "These are graduates who are going to miss out on an incredibly important day of commencement.”
Jean Pierre declined to say if plans are being made in the event protesters disrupt either of Biden’s scheduled commencement addresses, instead referring questions to the US Secret Service.