Joe Biden on Enforcing Southern Border: ‘Violence Is Not Justified’

President Joe Biden said Tuesday he believes that “violence is not justified” while enforcing the Southern border.

After a meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, concluded in the Oval Office, reporters shouted out several questions as Biden’s press wranglers tried to usher them out of the room.

Johnson recognized two British reporters for questions, according to press in the Oval Office, but Biden did not follow suit.

IN THE PRESIDENT'S OVAL OFFICE:

Boris Johnson recognized two British reporters for questions.

Joe Biden then signaled it was time for the press to leave, without taking any questions from his own press corps.

— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) September 21, 2021

As press wranglers repeatedly ordered reporters out of the room, CBS News’s Ed O’Keefe asked Biden about the border, leading Biden to reply, “violence is not justified,” according to a review of audio of the exchange.

In is unclear what Biden was referring to specifically, but the comment was made in reaction to a question about the atest surge of migrants at the Southern border.

UPDATE: We have played back the tape and part of the president’s answer is decipherable. I asked for his response to the situation on the southern border and he says in part, “Violence is not justified.”

He is wearing a mask and there is shouting so nothing else is decipherable

— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) September 21, 2021

Leftist activists were enraged by photos of border guards on horses apprehending migrants on the border, drawing comparisons to slavery.

These images although centuries apart still seem to represent the worst of America’s capacity for humanity. @Potus if the plan is to #BuildBackBetter step 1 must be tearing down a foundation of oppressive practices. pic.twitter.com/bEkGDYl6Wg

— NAACP (@NAACP) September 21, 2021

Vice President Kamala Harris also shared her outrage in response to the photos on Tuesday.

“What I saw depicted about those individuals on horseback, treating human beings was horrible,” she said.

Harris voiced her support for a Department of Homeland Security investigation into the incident.

“I fully support what is happening right now, which is a thorough investigation into exactly what is going on there,” she said. “But human beings should never be treated that way. I’m deeply troubled about it.”

Biden has remained silent on a number of difficult issues facing his administration, ignoring reporter questions for nearly a week.

Border agents have struggled as more than 15,000 migrants, mostly from Haiti, flocked to a makeshift camp by a border bridge in Texas.