Biden Condemns Recent Riots: Press Secretary

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki participates in a press briefing at the White House, in Washington, on Jan. 22, 2021. Alex Wong/Getty Images

Biden administration press secretary Jen Psaki briefed White House reporters on Monday on the issue of the recent riots in the Pacific Northwest.

She was questioned on why Joe Biden criticized riots before becoming president, but hasn’t said anything since. The far-left Antifa group vandalized buildings and clashed with police in Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington on Jan. 20. They also set fire and smashed windows at businesses in Tacoma, Washington, on Sunday night.

“President Biden condemns violence and any violence in the strongest possible terms. Peaceful protests are a cornerstone of our democracy, but smashing windows is not protesting, and neither is looting,” Psaki answered.

“Actions like these are totally unacceptable and anyone who committed a crime should be prosecuted to the fullest extent. Our team is, of course, monitoring it very closely,” Psaki added.

Some Republicans have denounced the fact that their Democratic counterparts haven’t condemned the riots in Portland and Seattle.

Mugshots of protesters arrested by Portland police in Portland, Ore., on Jan. 20, 2021. Portland Police Department

“I’m waiting for Pres Biden to condemn violence/looting/arson last two days in Oregon & Washington state,” wrote Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on Thursday.

Antifa members broke the glass door and windows at the Democratic Party business office in Portland, spray-painting an anarchist symbol over the party sign. Garbage cans around were toppled and lit on fire, according to reports. Antifa activists marched along banners that read, “We don’t want Biden. We want revenge for police murders, imperialist wars, and fascist massacres,” and “We are not governable,” along with numerous anarchy symbols.

The Democratic Party of Oregon released a statement following the violence.

“We’re frustrated and disappointed about the damage done to our Democratic Party of Oregon Headquarters in Portland this afternoon. We’re thankful that none of our staff were in the building at the time. This is not the first time our building has been vandalized during the past year—none of the prior incidents have deterred us from our important work to elect Democrats up and down the ballot, and this one will be no different.”

Multiple windows were shattered at the William Kenzo Nakamura Courthouse in Seattle, Wash., on Jan. 20, 2021. Seattle Police Department