After days of silence, the White House has finally condemned acts of “violence, threats, or vandalism” amid pro-abortion rights protests after a leaked, early draft of a Supreme Court majority opinion indicated that Roe v. Wade could likely be struck down.
In a statement, the White House weighed in after vandals set fire to a pro-life clinic in Wisconsin, scrawling on the clinic wall: “If abortions aren’t safe, then you aren’t either.”
“President Biden strongly condemns this attack and political violence of any stripe,” the statement said. “The President has made clear throughout his time in public life that Americans have the fundamental right to express themselves under the Constitution, whatever their point of view. But that expression must be peaceful and free of violence, vandalism, or attempts to intimidate.”
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also tweeted that Biden “strongly believes in the Constitutional right to protest,” but emphasized that “should never include violence, threats, or vandalism.”
Over the weekend, pro-abortion rights activists marched to the homes of Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh.
“Judges perform an incredibly important function in our society, and they must be able to do their jobs without concern for their personal safety,” Psaki said.
.@POTUS strongly believes in the Constitutional right to protest. But that should never include violence, threats, or vandalism. Judges perform an incredibly important function in our society, and they must be able to do their jobs without concern for their personal safety.
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) May 9, 2022
The statements come after a week of press inquiries from The Daily Wire regarding promises to protest at the Supreme Court justices’ homes, the doxxing of the justices’ home addresses, and threats from protestors to disturb Catholic masses on Mother’s Day.
It does not appear that any protests occurred in Catholic Churches on Sunday. The Daily Wire observed that police guarded multiple Capitol Hill churches after the churches put out notices to parishioners warning of threatened disturbances.
The civil rights of Virginia’s worshipers will not be violated by any mobs.
In Virginia, the law reigns supreme and Catholic Virginians’ right to worship in peace will be protected.
— Jason Miyares (@JasonMiyaresVA) May 6, 2022
Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers condemned “violence and hatred in all forms, including the actions at Wisconsin Family Action in Madison last night” in a Sunday Twitter thread.
“We reject violence against any person for disagreeing with another’s view,” he said. “Violence is not the way forward. Hurting others is never the answer.”
“We will work against overturning Roe and attacks on reproductive rights by leading with empathy and compassion,” he added. “We will defend what we believe in with our words and our voices—in the streets, in halls of government, and at the ballot box. In Wisconsin, we must lead by example.”
This attack is abhorrent and should be condemned by all. https://t.co/CGnPmMJUmo
— Senator Ron Johnson (@SenRonJohnson) May 8, 2022
The Madison Police Department, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Daily Wire, said that it “understands members of our community are feeling deep emotions due to the recent news involving the United States Supreme Court.”
“Early Sunday morning, our team began investigating a suspicious fire inside an office building on the city’s north side,” Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said in a statement. “It appears a specific non-profit that supports anti-abortion measures was targeted.”
“Our department has and continues to support people being able to speak freely and openly about their beliefs,” Barnes continued. “But we feel that any acts of violence, including the destruction of property, do not aid in any cause. We have made our federal partners aware of this incident and are working with them and the Madison Fire Department as we investigate this arson.”