A group of more than 50 anti-Israel protesters took over a building at Barnard College in New York City and allegedly assaulted an employee on Wednesday evening. The students were protesting the expulsion of two students who had stormed a Columbia University classroom in January and reportedly distributed flyers containing hateful speech.
Videos shared on X by Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine showed masked students in a hallway beating drums and chanting through megaphones. The group also posted a list of demands accompanied by the statement, “WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL OUR DEMANDS ARE MET. FREE PALESTINE.”
Their demands included the immediate reinstatement of the two expelled Barnard students, amnesty for all students disciplined for pro-Palestine actions or statements, and a public meeting with Dean Leslie Grinage and President Laura Rosenbury. They also called for the abolition of Barnard’s disciplinary process, demanding full transparency in past, present, and future proceedings. The protesters vowed to continue disrupting campus activities until their demands were met.
A Barnard spokesperson reported that the protesters had assaulted a college employee, who was subsequently hospitalized. Robin Levine, Barnard’s Vice President for Strategic Communications, stated, “They encouraged others to enter campus without identification, showing blatant disregard for the safety of our community.”
Levine issued a deadline of 9:30 p.m. for the protesters to leave the building, warning that the school would take further action if they did not comply. She emphasized that Barnard leadership had made multiple efforts to de-escalate the situation, including offering meetings and mediation, which the protesters refused.
According to reports by FOX 5 New York, the protesters began leaving the building by 11 p.m.
For the latest updates and more news, visit ZTC News and Z News Today. Stay informed with our reliable sources!