Psaki Tells Doocy Biden Wants Protesters to ‘Respect Privacy’ of Justices Who Signed Draft Overturning Roe

 

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy that President Joe Biden expects protesters to “respect privacy” while protesting the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade if it takes effect.

At Thursday’s press briefing, Doocy asked about a group that has posted instructions urging activists to protest outside the homes of the Supreme Court justices who signed on to the draft opinion. Without expressly telling people where and where not to protest, Psaki urged them — on the president’s behalf — to respect the privacy of the justices who are poised to strike down precedent that’s rooted in the right to privacy:

MR. DOOCY: So, you guys had some time yesterday talking about what you think are the extreme wings of the Republican Party. Do you think the progressive activists that are now planning protests outside some of the justices’ houses are extreme?

MS. PSAKI: Peaceful protest? No. Peaceful protest is not extreme.

MR. DOOCY: But 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?

MS. PSAKI: Peter, look, I think our view here is that peaceful protest — there’s a long history in the United States and the country of that. And 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.

MR. DOOCY: Not about yesterday, though — just about moving forward. These activists posted a map with the home addresses of the Supreme Court justices. Is that the kind of thing this President wants to help your side make their point?

MS. PSAKI: 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. We obviously want people’s privacy to be respected. We want people to protest peacefully if they want to — to protest. That is certainly what the President’s view would be.

MR. DOOCY: So he doesn’t care if they’re protesting outside the Supreme Court or outside someone’s private residence?

MS. PSAKI: I don’t have an official U.S. government position on where people protest. I want it — we want it, of course, to be peaceful. And certainly, the President would want people’s privacy to be respected.

But 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 healthcare are at risk. That’s why people are protesting. They’re unhappy. They’re scared.

Watch above via The White House and Reuters.

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