Johnson: 'There is an appropriate time' for National Guard if student protesters don't disperse
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Wednesday said there could come a time when the National Guard is needed to quell pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University and other universities experiencing unrest.
The comments from Johnson came during a combative press conference the Speaker held with Republican lawmakers at Columbia University in New York City, during which they called on pro-Palestine protesters who have set up an encampment on campus to disperse and denounced the alleged antisemitism percolating through campus — all while the crowd heckled the group.
“If this is not contained quickly, and if these threats and intimidation are not stopped, there is an appropriate time for the National Guard,” Johnson said. “We have to bring order to these campuses. We cannot allow this to happen around the country. We are better than this.”
Johnson said he planned to call Biden after his visit to the campus to “share with him what we have seen with our own two eyes and demand that he take action,” arguing that “there is executive authority that’d be appropriate.”
Johnson's statements came after Republican Sens. Josh Hawley (Mo.) and Tom Cotton (Ark.) on Monday called on Biden to deploy the National Guard to colleges across the country — especially Columbia — to end sit-ins and other demonstrations staged by pro-Palestinian protesters.
One day later, Cotton and 26 other GOP senators sent a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Attorney General Merrick Garland urging them to “restore order to campuses that have been effectively shut down by anti-Semitic mobs that are targeting Jewish students.”
Biden denounced the demonstrations at Columbia University, saying Monday he condemns both the "antisemitic protests" and “those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians,” before getting cut off.
Wednesday’s press conference with Johnson and other GOP lawmakers — Reps. Virginia Foxx (N.C.), Mike Lawler (N.Y.), Anthony D'Esposito (N.Y.) and Nicole Malliotakis (N.Y.) — was the latest instance of congressional lawmakers visiting Columbia’s campus amid pro-Palestine protests and allegations of antisemitism.
Johnson called on Columbia President Minouche Shafik to resign from her post — he met with her minutes before the public event — saying she should step down “if she cannot immediately bring order to this chaos.”
“We met briefly with the president and her top officials right before we came out on the steps here. We encouraged her to take immediate action and stamp this out. And our feeling is that they have not acted to restore order on the campus,” Johnson said at another point in the press conference.
“This is dangerous. This is not free expression, this is not First Amendment — they are threatening, intimidating, saying that they will take violence upon Jewish students,” he continued. “We met with Jewish students who are in fear. They can’t come on campus, they can’t study for their final exams. This affects everybody’s lives, and it affects the image that we portray to the world. This is not who we are as Americans."
He also suggested that the House may move to cut off federal funding for colleges that do not provide a safe environment for Jewish students.
“If these campuses cannot get control of this problem they do not deserve taxpayer dollars. That’s a very serious issue,” Johnson said when asked what the House will do to address the antisemitism when lawmakers return to Washington next week.
“You’ve seen our Education and Workforce Committee having oversight hearings. We have brought the presidents of these universities to Congress to testify under oath, and you’ve seen accountability begun there. There’ll be much more of that. We’ll continue to work on legislation to adjust this at the federal level,” he added.
“This Congress — and I genuinely believe there’s bipartisan agreement on this — will stand for what is good and what is right. And it does not matter who shouts in our faces. We’re gonna do what is right by America. We respect free speech. We respect diversity of ideas. But there is a way to do that in a lawful manner, and that’s not what this is.”
The Republicans themselves were met with heckling as they denounced the demonstrations on Wednesday, with individuals in the crowd booing the group, chanting “we can’t hear you,” “Mike you suck” and “get the f--- out of here.”
Date: |
Filter
-
DeSantis opposes National Guard move to Space Force
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) sent a letter Friday outlining his opposition to the Biden administration’s move to incorporate Air National Guard service members into the Space Force. The Defense Department submitted a legislative proposal to the ...The Hill - Politics -
Student protests threaten to overshadow commencements
Pro-Palestinian student activists have one last opportunity to make a big impact before campuses are barren for the summer: commencement. Tens of thousands of families and friends will flock to campuses across the country starting this weekend ...The Hill - Politics -
Trinity College Dublin's students' union fined €214k over protests
TCD issues fine over loss of income as a result of recent blockades of a tourist attraction.BBC News - Top stories - College Football -
How students are using Sidechat for college protests
Sidechat, an app launched in 2022 where students can post anonymously about their colleges, is becoming a tool for those choosing to protest at U.S. campuses. Amanda Silberling, a senior culture writer for TechCrunch, joins CBS News with more ...CBS News - Top stories -
The infectious spirit of a beloved Tennessee crossing guard
Lenzo Thompson, a crossing guard for the Rutherford County School District outside Nashville, Tennessee, has been known to dress up on the job, as Santa, Cupid, or even the Easter Bunny.CBS News - Top stories -
Voting, Volcanoes and Vatican Guards: Photos of the week
A selection of striking images from around the world, taken over the past seven days.BBC News - Top stories -
Pro-Palestinian Student Protests Spread to Australia, France, U.K. and Elsewhere
Student activists in Australia, Britain, France and elsewhere are challenging their universities’ stances on the war in Gaza and ties to Israel.The New York Times - World - United Kingdom -
Fetterman mocks students protesting on college campuses over Houthi offer
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) mocked the students protesting on college campuses after a report was released stating a Houthi-run university in Yemen will offer slots to those suspended at U.S. universities. “If a homicidal, Iranian-funded, ...The Hill - Politics -
Campus Protests Over Gaza Spotlight the Work of Student Journalists
Columbia University’s radio station and other student-led news outlets have provided some of the most detailed coverage of the turmoil engulfing university campuses.The New York Times - Business
More from The Hill
-
Trump posts campaign ad praising UNC students holding up US flag during campus protest
Former President Trump posted a campaign ad on his Truth Social site praising various counter protestors on college campuses, including students who held up the U.S. flag. “While campuses struggle to get control of their students, at UNC Chapel ...The Hill - Politics - Donald Trump -
Campus chaos vindicates the American system and the First Amendment
Americans are rightly comparing this to the suppression of speech by authoritarian regimes. But when you look more closely, it also highlights the superiority of the American system over authoritarian systems abroad.The Hill - Politics -
Kellyanne Conway on early voting: ‘You adapt or you die politically’
Kellyanne Conway, ex-senior adviser to former President Trump and Fox News contributor, said although she doesn’t like early voting, if it’s the new normal, Republicans must adapt or they will “die politically.” Conway joined talk show “Real Time ...The Hill - Politics -
The Quantum revolution may be just around the corner — Congress should act
The promise of quantum computing is massive, but it needs serious support.The Hill - Politics -
Tim Scott: ‘The View’ hosts ‘attacking me again’ for being only Black GOP senator
Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) criticized the hosts of “The View” for “attacking” him for being the only Black Republican senator but said the Black GOP has momentum. “I’m never surprised when the ladies at ‘The View’ go at it again,” he said in a video ...The Hill - Politics