Pro-Palestinian protesters wearing kaffiyeh scarves and masks forced their way into Barnard College’s Milbank Hall on Wednesday, injuring a school employee, according to college officials.
Milbank Hall, which houses the dean’s office, was occupied by demonstrators who later left “without further incident” that night, Barnard President Laura Rosenbury said in a statement.
“But let us be clear: their disregard for the safety of our community remains completely unacceptable,” Rosenbury stated.
The school had warned that if the students did not leave by 9:30 p.m., officials could be forced to take “additional, necessary measures to protect our campus.”
The student group Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine posted on X that protesters dispersed after the administration agreed to meet with them Thursday afternoon.
Demonstrators demanded amnesty for all students disciplined for pro-Palestinian activism, a meeting with Rosenbury and Dean Leslie Grinage, and the reversal of two student expulsions, according to the group.
“WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL OUR DEMANDS ARE MET. FREE PALESTINE,” the group posted earlier on X.
A Barnard employee was hospitalized after being assaulted by the protesters, Robin Levine, Barnard’s vice president for strategic communications, confirmed in a statement. No further details were provided.
Levine also stated that protesters encouraged others to enter campus without identification.
“Barnard leadership offered to meet with the protesters—just as we meet with all members of our community—on one simple condition: remove their masks,” she said. “They refused. We have also offered mediation.”
Videos shared by the student group showed masked individuals chanting in hallways, banging drums, and using megaphones. Palestinian flags were displayed on walls, alongside slogans such as “Barnard funds genocide” and “Free Palestine” scrawled across surfaces.
AP
