University President Thomas LeBlanc condemned rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol building Wednesday, calling for them to be punished to the “full extent of the law.”

In an email to the GW community Thursday, LeBlanc said he watched in “horror” and “dismay” as the rioters breached the Capitol perimeter. LeBlanc had previously said that GW’s campus remained “quiet” with “limited activity” following the riot.

LeBlanc said GW’s location in the District means “much more” than its physical proximity to events at the Capitol and White House.

“At GW, our location represents the democratic ideals we uphold, our sense of civic responsibility and our passion for public service,” he said in the email. “It is a constant reminder that we must use our teaching and research mission in service of the public good and in service of democracy – especially when that democracy is threatened.”

He added that the incident was “deeply disturbing.”

“The pictures of members of Congress forced to take shelter under their desks as protesters scaled the walls of the Capitol were almost unimaginable, and those responsible need to be punished to the full extent of the law,” LeBlanc said.

LeBlanc said he remains optimistic, adding that the country’s best hope is education.

“We are a community of learners and leaders who not only talk about the importance of facts and truth in our national discourse but also bring them to bear on seemingly intractable problems,” LeBlanc said. “We have done so for nearly two centuries, and we will continue this work — today, tomorrow and every day — in the hope that it could create a better world for all.”