AOC compliments supporters of Palestinians at Biden gathering

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democratic representative, showed her support for pro-Palestinian demonstrators on Monday at an Earth Day event in Virginia where she was an opening speaker preceding President Joe Biden.

Alongside Senators Bernie Sanders and Ed Markey, AOC was chosen to kick off the event. During the gathering, President Biden revealed plans for extending the American Climate Corps, a program designed to provide training for environmentally-friendly jobs, as well as increased funding for household solar energy systems.

In her address, Ocasio-Cortez credited the federal government’s focus on combating climate change to the impact of collective action, emphasizing the role of organizing in uniting a diverse array of individuals including youth, environmental activists, labor unions, and people from various walks of life.

‘It is especially important that we remember the power of young people shaping this country today, of all days, as we once again witness the leadership of those peaceful student-led protests on campuses like Columbia and Yale and Berkeley and many others,’ Ocasio-Cortez said. 

Moments later, Biden came onstage and commended AOC, telling the crowd, ‘You know, I learned a long time ago – listen to that lady, listen to that lady.’ 

‘We’re going to talk more about another part of the world too real quickly,’ he said – a hint they would talk about the Middle East after the official program ended.

Biden and the New York Democrat could be seen huddling afterward and also holding hands as they walked offstage. 

Ocasio-Cortez, Sanders and Markey rode Marine One back to the White House with Biden and headed into the Oval Office.

The president and the so-called Squad, which includes AOC, haven’t seen eye to eye on the topic of Israel in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas terror attack. 

Fellow Squad member Rep. Ilhan Omar’s daughter Isra Hirsi was arrested and then later suspended for taking part in anti-Israel demonstrations on Columbia’s campus, which have gone on for days. 

Last week more than 100 students were arrested on Wednesday and Thursday for participating in sit-ins but by Friday students had returned to their ‘Gaza solidarity camp.’ 

While Ocasio-Cortez lauded student demonstrators – over the weekend protesters on and off Columbia’s campus veered into antisemitic territory.  

Jewish students reported being told to ‘go back to Poland’ and ‘stop killing children,’ according to a letter shared on social media by a top on-campus Jewish group.

White House spokesman Andrew Bates condemned the actions of these protesters.

‘While every American has the right to peaceful protest, calls for violence and physical intimidation targeting Jewish students and the Jewish community are blatantly antisemitic, unconscionable and dangerous,’ Bates said in a statement. 

Early Monday Columbia President Nemat ‘Minouche’ Shafik announced that classes would be held virtually, as a campus rabbi encouraged Jewish students to return home for their safety.

‘I condemn the antisemitic protests. That’s why I have set up a program to deal with that,’ Biden told reporters as he left Virginia. 

‘I also condemn those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians,’ the president also offered.