White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre dodged a question on Tuesday about whether President Joe Biden will release a statement condemning extremist remarks that were made at an Islamic event in Dearborn, Michigan, late last week.
Protesters at International Al-Quds Day event — a day that exists to remind the Islamic world of their opposition to Israel and the U.S. — chanted “death to America!” and “death to Israel!” on the six month anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.
Jean-Pierre said that she did not have any intelligence to share about whether officials were concerned about threats to national security involving individuals who participated in the event.
When asked if Biden would release a statement about the incident, which he has often done when it’s an issue sensitive to Democrats, Jean-Pierre dodged the question.
“I mean, you’re hearing from me, right? You’re asking me a question. I’m answering it and we’ve been very vigilant about – or very consistent about denouncing that type of that type of rhetoric,” she said.
“Should we see a – should we expect a statement from the president on that?” the reporter pressed. “It was a pretty significant display.”
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Jean-Pierre responded, “I mean, you’re hearing from me. I think that’s important. The other part, too, that I do want to be very clear about – you know, peaceful protest is something that the president has also been very, very clear that is important for – to give folks space to peacefully protest, but any type of violent rhetoric, we are going to denounce.”
.@JacquiHeinrich: “Should we see a – should we expect a statement from the President on that? It was a pretty significant display.”
KJP: “I mean, you're hearing from me. I think that's important. The other part, too, that I do want to be very clear about – you know, peaceful… pic.twitter.com/cVk7prsRjb
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 9, 2024
Michigan activist Tarek Bazzi, who is affiliated with the Hadi Institute, said at the event in Dearborn: “We have been asked in the past why our protests on the International Al-Quds Day are so anti-America. Why don’t we just focus on Israel and not talk so much about America? Gaza has shown the entire world why their protests are so anti-America. Because it’s the United States government that provides the funds for all of the atrocities that we just heard about.”
“This is why Imam Khomeini, who declared the International Al-Quds Day, this is why he would say to pour all of your chants and all of your shouts upon the head of America,” he continued.
As he spoke, chants of “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” broke out.
“Malcolm X said, and I quote: ‘We live in one of the rottenest countries that has ever existed on this Earth,'” he added. “It’s not Genocide Joe that has to go, it is the entire system that has to go. Any system that would allow such atrocities and devilry to happen and would support it — such a system does not deserve to exist on God’s earth. So when these fools ask us if Israel has the right to exist … The chant ‘Death to Israel’ has become the most logical chant shouted across the world today.”
He also encouraged young children at the event to repeat the genocidal chant: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
Michigan Imam Usama Abdulghani, who is also affiliated with the Hadi Institute, said at the event in Dearborn: “Imam Khomeini recognized that Israel is an evil settler colonialist project. He realized it was a cancer and he established this day.”
“Israel before this, brothers and sisters, was a sacred cow. Nobody could criticize Israel. Everybody was terrified of being anti-Semitic,” he said. “Everybody was afraid of them, but now the people of conscience very openly will criticize Israel. They recognize Israel for what it is. Israel is ISIS, they are Nazis, they are fascists, they are racists. The people of the world now know this.”