Speaker Mike Johnson Speaks to the Encampment Students in NY: 'Go Back

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After House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) ignored New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s demand for him to stay in Washington, and called out Columbia University President Minouche Shafik for weakness–he said she should resign–Johnson made an afternoon trip to New York to meet with Jewish students. Then, he held a press conference with a contingent of Republican leaders including Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), and Rep. Anthony Esposito (R-NY). Johnson’s presence was not welcomed by the Pro-Hamas protestors, who yelled “free Palestine,” and “get the f*ck off our campus.”

Johnson spoke above the noise and criticized the protests.

It’s inappropriate, it’s lawlessness, it’s chaos. That is not who we are. We believe in the rule of law; that is one of the foundational principles of America and it must be maintained. The college campus used to be the place for respectful debate, for the differences of opinion and the free marketplace of ideas to be discussed. That is not what is happening here. You’re intimidating and shouting down people you disagree with. You cannot censor and silence people for that which you disagree with. That is not American. You do not understand what it means to respect the First Amendment.

When asked by a reporter what was his message to the hundreds of students still protesting inside the encampment, Johnson said,

My message to students inside the encampment is to get– go back to class and stop the nonsense. Look, if we want to have a debate on campus about the merits of these things, let’s do that. But you can’t intimidate your fellow students and make them stay home from class. Think about that–is that right? Do you think that’s right? Stop wasting your parents money, Congressman Lawler says. I think that’s right.