White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed on Wednesday the ongoing student protests taking place at Columbia University and other colleges across the country.

During the daily press briefing, Jean-Pierre reiterated the administration's condemnation of antisemitism.

"When we see violent rhetoric, we have to call that out. When we see physical intimidation or grotesque antisemitic remarks, we have to speak that out," she told reporters.

When asked whether the administration shares the view of House Speaker Mike Johnson, who called on the president of Columbia University to resign, Jean-Pierre declined to comment saying, “Columbia is a private institution."

"That is obviously the speaker’s privilege to speak for himself and what he sees," she said.

"This is a deeply painful, painful moment for many communities, and we understand that. But the president believes that free speech debate and nondiscrimination on college campuses are important. They're important American values," Jean-Pierre said.

-ABC News' Juhi Doshi

The University of Southern California said it will be closing its campus to the public with "significant activity at the center of the [main] campus due to a demonstration," it said in a post on X.

"The gates are closed, so anyone coming to campus should be prepared to show an ID at the gates for class or for business," USC said.

A rally by pro-Palestinian protesters at USC became chaotic after campus police confronted people who tried to set up an encampment at the school's Alumni Park, according to Los Angeles ABC station KABC. The university's commencement ceremony is scheduled to occur in Alumni Park on May 10.

Last week, USC canceled the valedictorian's speech out of safety concerns considering her pro-Palestinian views, sparking backlash. The student, Asna Tabassum, is a first-generation South Asian-American Muslim who majored in biomedical engineering and minored in resistance to genocide, according to a statement published through the Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Dozens of students and others have issued a list of demands, including the university's divestment, similar to demands from students on other campuses, according to KABC.

USC police officers began attempting to clear the encampment of tents and signs before Los Angeles Police Department officers joined the effort, according to KABC

Pro-Palestinian students at Harvard University began an encampment in Harvard Yard on Wednesday, despite the university closing it through Friday.

The encampment comes after Harvard suspended the Harvard Palestine Solidarity Committee -- an on-campus group that has been under a spotlight -- amid debates on campuses over the war. The ACLU of Massachusetts, which represents the group, has called for the university to lift the suspension.

Students and student workers released a statement Wednesday announcing their encampment, calling for the university to divest and accusing it of "relentlessly suppress[ing] voices in its community speaking out against the actions of the Israeli state and for the rights of the Palestinian people," the suspended group said in a statement on Instagram.

The group is also demanding that the university "drop all its charges against students for their organizing and activism, and commit to ending the weaponization of disciplinary policy," the statement said.

-ABC News' Nadine El-Bawab

Andrew T. Guzman, the provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs at the University of Southern California, sent a letter to the school's students, faculty and other members with an update on the situation taking place on campus.

Guzman reiterated the university "values freedom of expression and protects the right of every member of our community to express themselves," but added, "We have well-established policies regarding limits on the time, place, and manner of free expression."

Guzman said the call to shut down the campus stemmed from a confrontation between protesters outside the Doheny Library and security. Security members asked the protesters, many of whom Guzman said weren't affiliated with USC, to leave and remove tents they set up, but the protesters refused, according to the school.

"Their actions have escalated to the point of confrontation and have threatened the safety of our officers and campus community," Guzman said.

Until further notice, only people with "USC identification or verifiable business purpose will be able to access campus, attend classes, and participate in activities" will be allowed on campus, according to Guzman.

"In these challenging times, we call on the Trojan Family to remember that every member of our community is deserving of respect, has the right to be safe on campus, take classes, and participate in other campus activities without fear of harassment or bullying. It should be everyone’s priority to treat each other with kindness and care," he said.

-ABC News' Jenna Harrison