Masked protesters occupy Barnard College building, assault worker, demand ‘free, free Palestine’

Not all of those were attended the occupation were students. A Barnard spokesperson said in a statement that the student radicals “physically assaulted” a college employee and that they were sent to the hospital. Robin Levine, Barnard College’s Vice President for Strategic Communications said, “They encouraged others to enter campus without identification, showing blatant disregard for the safety of our community.”

Videos on social media showed the masked students in a hallway in Milbank Hall, the oldest building on campus, banging on drums and chanting for genocide through megaphones. Barnard is the sister school to Columbia University. Other videos showed the activists shoving their way into the building, pushing past security guards while shouting “free, free Palestine.”

Another video shows a Jewish student wearing a yarmulke trying to get into the building for class but being blocked by a security guard. The student can be heard saying, “You’re catering to them. You gotta get them out. We all have to go to class.”

Activists claimed the protest was in response to the dismissal of two Barnard students who, on the first day of the semester in January, were caught-on-camera disrupting a “History of Modern Israel” class at Columbia University and distributing antisemitic leaflets, including a flyer showing a boot stomping on a Star of David and another showing an Israeli flag on fire. The students were suspended and then kicked out of the Ivy League school following an investigation.

The activists demanded that the expulsions be reversed, that the school administrators grant amnesty for students disciplined during last year’s anti-Israel campus protests, and a public meeting with Dean Leslie Grinage and Barnard President Laura Rosenbury. The radicals also demanded the college’s “abolition of the corrupt Barnard disciplinary process and complete transparency for current, past, and future disciplinary proceedings.”

Protesters graffitied messages, including “Free Palestine,” “Barnard expels students,” and “F*ck Barnard” on the walls of the historic building and pledged to continue their occupation until school administrators entered into “good-faith and substantive negotiations” with them.

One of the pro-Hamas groups posting on social media on behalf of the activists was Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine, an organization that proclaimed “Long live the student intifada,” calling for an armed uprising.

College administrators offered to meet with the activists if they removed their masks – but the radicals refused to comply. Levine said the protesters had until 9:30 pm local time to leave the building, or else the school would consider other actions. “We have made multiple good-faith efforts to de-escalate. Barnard leadership offered to meet with the protesters. They refused. We have also offered mediation.”

A video posted to social media showed a representative from Columbia University attempting to negotiate with the mob but they were shouted down and ridiculed.

Despite pledging not to leave until their demands were met, most of the activists left the building before 11 pm and, according to The New York Post, marched to Riverside Park and promised to return to the front gates of the school on Thursday at 12:45 pm. Radicals also called for fellow students to skip classes on Thursday. Barnard fees and tuition cost over $66,000 per year.

Barnard President Laura Rosenbury said in a statement “Tonight, a small group of masked protesters attempted to undermine Barnard’s core values of respect, inclusion, and academic excellence. Thanks to the efforts of our staff and faculty, the protesters have now left Milbank Hall without further incident. But let us be clear: their disregard for the safety of our community remains completely unacceptable.”

Columbia University, which has made international headlines for allowing rampant antisemitism on campus, attempted to throw its affiliate Barnard under the bus, writing in a statement, “The disruption of academic activities is not acceptable conduct. Barnard College is a separate institution from Columbia University although it is affiliated. Columbia is not responsible for security on Barnard's campus. The disruption that is taking place at Barnard's Milbank Hall is not on Columbia's campus and Barnard's leadership and security team are addressing the current situation. We are committed to supporting our Columbia student body and our campus community during this challenging time.”