A Barnard College staff member was hospitalized on Wednesday night after being allegedly assaulted by a group of masked anti-Israel protesters. They invaded a campus building and occupied it for several hours, demanding to rescind the expulsion of two students for disrupting an Israeli history class.

Columbia University Apartheid Divest, which had on Saturday threatened to organize demonstrations in response to the expulsions of activists, claimed on Instagram on Wednesday that a security officer had assaulted and grabbed students.

Dozens of keffiyeh-clad activists entered Milbank Hall, according to statements by Barnard College Strategic Communications Vice President Robin Levine and Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine, issuing demands and encouraging others to enter the campus without registering their identification. CUAD said that it had “taken the administration completely off guard.”

Columbia SJP listed demands on X/Twitter, with the chief issue being the immediate reversal of the expulsions of two students for participation in the January 21 protest of Columbia University’s History of Modern Israel course.

The activists also called for the establishment of a new transparent disciplinary process and a public meeting with Dean Leslie Grinage and President Laura Rosenbury.

Columbia University Apartheid Divest telegram (credit: screenshot)
Columbia University Apartheid Divest telegram (credit: screenshot)

“Disruption until divestment, resistance until return, agitation until amnesty,” warned activists on social media and physical flyers. “We will not stop until our demands are met. Free Palestine.”

PPhotographs posted by Columbia SJP showed that they had posted their demands and Palestinian flags on the hallway walls, as well as vandalizing the building interior with graffiti that included the slogan “Barnard funds genocide.”

For at least six hours, the activists occupied the administrative offices, restricting the movement of employees and canceling classes while chanting and drumming. A video published by Columbia SJP showed student activists jeering at Grinage as she passed through the crowd after allegedly asking for permission to use the bathroom.
“Guess who has the upper hand now?” the SJP chapter wrote on X.
Levine said that Barnard had “made multiple good-faith efforts to de-escalate,” and college leadership had offered to meet with protesters if they removed their masks. According to CUAD, Grinage had also proposed to meet with a maximum of three activists with no legal observer and with a security officer present. CUAD said that such conditions raised concerns about doxing, harassment, “transparency, safety, and fairness.”

THE ACTIVIST groups also said that they had rejected demands by the administration for non-students “outside agitators” to leave.

“We will not let Barnard, administrators, faculty, or press dictate OUR movement. Inside, we are ALL outside agitators,” CUAD said on Instagram.

CUAD and SJP said on social media that the administration had been forced to the negotiating table for a meeting, leading to the dissolution of the “sit-in.”

Levine denied that any promises of amnesty or concessions were negotiated in a statement, and that students had dispersed after being issued warnings.
“The masked protesters left Milbank Hall after receiving a final written notice and being informed that Barnard would be forced to consider additional necessary measures to protect the campus if they did not leave on their own,” said Levine.
Rosenbury castigated the protesters for attempting to “undermine Barnard’s core values of respect, inclusion, and academic excellence.”
“Let us be clear: their disregard for the safety of our community remains completely unacceptable,” said Rosenbury.Columbia University’s Public Affairs Office said the disruption of academic activities was unacceptable but that it was not responsible for its affiliate’s security.
The House Committee on Education and Workforce said Barnard was right to expel the two students who were involved in the distribution of flyers that included calls to “crush Zionism” and depicted a boot stepping on a broken Star of David.
“Negotiating with pro-terror protesters who are breaking campus policies should be out of the question,” the committee said.

'Green light' to continued violence

Combat Antisemitism Movement CEO Sacha Roytman Dratwa warned that if Barnard succumbed to “outrageous and violent threats” and reinstated the expelled students, it would give a “green light” to continued violence.
As the protesters still held positions in the campus building, the Anti-Defamation League New York and New Jersey called for the college to uphold its code of conduct. The American Jewish Committee said that the “tired antics” of Wednesday night were tactics “pulled from the playbook of the last 16 months at this school.”
Likud MK Dan Illouz, who had just a week prior met with Jewish Columbia University students, called for “immediate and decisive action” to “restore order and protect Jewish students.”
“Pro-terror extremists have crossed every redline – seizing buildings by force, attacking staff, and calling for an intifada. This is not a protest; it is terrorism. The free world cannot stand idly by as universities become breeding grounds for violent incitement.”
The two expelled Barnard students had been identified by Columbia for their involvement in the January 21 class disruption. A third activist, identified as a Columbia student on January 23, was suspended pending a full investigation and disciplinary process.
CUAD had responded by calling for further disruptions of “Zionist” classes. The Columbia University Public Affairs Office condemned the call for class disruptions, warning that it would not be tolerated.