The White House condemned Monday the vandalism of a Catholic church by what appeared to be supporters of legal abortion, but indicated sympathy for their cause.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that protests should be peaceful, criticizing reports of angry protesters vandalizing a Catholic church and a pro-life organization.
“We have seen it at Catholic churches, that’s unacceptable,” she said. “The president does not support that.”
The headquarters of the pro-life group Wisconsin Family Action in Madison, Wisconsin was vandalized and set on fire Sunday, and remnants of a Molotov cocktail were discovered.
Last week, a Catholic church in Boulder, Colorado, was repeatedly vandalized with spray-painted messages reading “My Body My Choice” and “Abortion Saves Lives.”
Psaki said the president did not condone the violence.
“We know the passion, we understand the passion, we understand the concern,” she said, referring to the perpetrators and their apparent support for legal abortion.
Psaki continued dodging questions about whether the president opposed pro-abortion activists surrounding the homes of Supreme Court justices.
She acknowledged that protests took place in a “range of places,” and called for the protests to be peaceful.
“We’re not here to give tactical advice to protesters,” she added to reporters.
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