White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday that there was no “official U.S. Government position” on where protesters chose to gather, even if that meant they were publishing the home addresses of sitting Supreme Court justices.
After congratulating Psaki’s incoming replacement Karine Jean-Pierre on being named President Joe Biden’s next press secretary, Fox News’ Peter Doocy turned to the topic of planned protests over the recently leaked early opinion draft indicating that the Supreme Court could be poised to overturn landmark abortion cases Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
Doocy: "[Y]ou guys spent some time…talking about what you think are…extreme wings of the [GOP]. Do you think the progressive activists that are now planning protests outside of justices' houses are extreme?"
Psaki: "Peaceful protests? No. Peaceful protest is not extreme." pic.twitter.com/2zeaY4qXzY
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) May 5, 2022
“You guys spent some time yesterday talking about what you think are … extreme wings of the Republican Party. Do you think the progressive activists that are now planning protests outside of justices’ houses are extreme?” Doocy asked.
“Peaceful protest? No. Peaceful protest is not extreme,” Psaki replied.
“Some of these justices have young kids. Their neighbors are not all public figures, so would the president think about waving off activists that want to go into residential neighborhoods in Virginia and Maryland?” Doocy pressed again.
Psaki pushed back, saying that the United States had a long documented history of allowing peaceful protest.
Psaki: "We certainly encourage people to keep it peaceful & not resort to…violence. Let me tell you what I was referring to & what [Biden] was referring to yesterday."
Doocy: "Not about yesterday…[They] posted a map with the home addresses of the Supreme Court justices." pic.twitter.com/0SJsZUhBC6
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) May 5, 2022
“We certainly encourage people to keep it peaceful and not resort to any level of violence. Let me tell you what I was referring to and what the president was referring to yesterday,” Psaki attempted to redirect the conversation.
“Not about yesterday, just about moving forward — these activists posted a map with the home addresses of the Supreme Court justices,” Doocy said. “Is that the kind of thing this president wants to help your side make their point?”
“Look, I think the president’s view is that there’s a lot of passion, a lot of fear, a lot of sadness from many, many people across this country about what they saw in that leaked document,” Psaki replied, saying again that the White House supported peaceful protest.
Doocy: "He doesn't care if [abortion activists are] protesting outside the Supreme Court or.. someone's private residence?"
Psaki: "I don't have an official…position on where people protest…We want it…to be peaceful….[They're] protesting is b/c women…are worried[.]" pic.twitter.com/2K5hC5Il9u
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) May 5, 2022
“He doesn’t care if they’re protesting outside the Supreme Court or outside someone’s private residence?” Doocy asked.
“I don’t have an official U.S. Government position on where people protest,” Psaki replied. “I want it — we want it of course to be peaceful … I think we shouldn’t lose the point here, the reason people are protesting is because women across the country are worried about their fundamental rights that have been law for 50 years. Their rights to make choices about their own bodies and their own health care are at risk. That’s why people are protesting — they’re unhappy, they’re scared.”