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Classes were canceled, and a Barnard staff member was assaulted and hospitalized, Jewish Insider reported. Kassy Akiva, a reporter for Daily Wire, wrote that Barnard spokesperson told her that “a small group of masked protesters forcibly entered Milbank Hall and physically assaulted a Barnard employee, sending them to the hospital.”
“They encouraged others to enter campus without identification, showing blatant disregard for the safety of our community,” the spokesperson added. “We have made multiple good-faith efforts to de-escalate. 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. They refused.”
The spokesperson said that Barnard doesn’t know if those in the building are part of the college. “If they do not agree to leave the building by 9:30 p.m., Barnard will be forced to consider additional, necessary measures to protect our campus,” the spokesperson said. (JNS sought comment from Barnard.)
Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine posted video footage on social media and wrote, “Dean Leslie Grinage of Barnard College just asked for our permission to use the bathroom. Guess who has the upper hand now?” Other video footage appeared to show a classics professor sharing a dean’s conditions for meeting via megaphone, as students clad in keffiyehs jeered often.
Dean Leslie Grinage of @BarnardCollege just asked for our permission to use the bathroom. Guess who has the upper hand now? pic.twitter.com/TwwtX811me
— Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine (@ColumbiaSJP) February 27, 2025
“Today Israel came to a standstill to bury Shiri, Ariel and Kfir—the beautiful Bibas family brutally murdered by Hamas,” Jonathan Harounoff, international spokesman for the Israeli mission to the United Nations, told JNS.
“To see Barnard students and faculty interrupt classes and once again call to ‘globalize the intifada’ on that very same day, while preventing students from going to class, is grotesque and deeply disturbing,” added Harounoff, a Columbia Journalism School alumnus. (Barnard has a historic relationship with Columbia.)
Barnard expelled two anti-Israel, who disrupted a modern Israeli history class at Columbia University in January, earlier this month.
“Actions have consequences,” stated the House Committee on Education and Workforce. “Barnard was right to expel the students, who disrupted class and distributed fliers calling for the death of Jews. Negotiating with pro-terror protestors who are breaking campus policies should be out of the question.”
“This is why the Education Department is already investigating Barnard’s parent school Columbia for alleged persistent failures to protect Jewish students from harassment, intimidation and violence,” stated the U.S. Education Department. “Schools that enable civil rights violations will face consequences under the Trump administration.”
“Barnard College must hold these disruptors accountable,” stated Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.). He noted that students calling for “intifada revolution” are supporting “a call to violence against the Jewish state.”
Columbia University stated that “the disruption of academic activities is not acceptable conduct.” It added that Columbia is affiliated with but is a separate institution from Barnard. “Columbia is not responsible for security on Barnard’s campus,” it stated. “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.”
The American Jewish Committee stated that it was “more tired antics at this sit-in outside of Barnard College’s dean’s office.”
“Taking over buildings, disrupting learning, all while hiding behind masks—all pulled from the playbook of the last 16 months at this school,” the AJC stated. “We look forward to seeing all of their demands be denied.”
“I am appalled that students once again stormed an academic building, prevented classes from taking place and, according to reports, violently assaulted a staff member,” stated Brian Cohen, executive director of Columbia Barnard Hillel. “This is a direct infringement on students’ right to enjoy an education without fear of harassment.”
Shoshana Aufzien posted on social media that she was supposed to be in class. “My classroom is located directly above Barnard College’s main administrative office,” she wrote. “My professor and several of my classmates were ordered by public safety to stand outside.”
“Protestors physically assaulted security. A guard just told me to stand back so I wouldn’t be attacked,” she added. “CU Apartheid Divest’s conduct is indefensible.”
Aufzien posted video footage of protesters yelling “free Palestine” and an image of the protester’s demands, which included amnesty for all students disciplined for anti-Israel behavior, including those expelled, and a public meeting with the dean and president.
She later posted what she said was an email from her professor. “Hi Shoshana,” the email stated. “First, are you in the building? Are you OK? Second: Short answer—class is canceled.”
“Longer answer: By the time I arrived, I and several other students were not able to get into the building (a very large gentleman instructed us otherwise),” the email added. “We stood outside waiting to see if the situation would change. Soon, the students who could get inside came outside. When it looked like no one was being aloud (sic) in, I dismissed ‘class.’ Please let me know you’re OK at your earliest convenience.”
🚨Why is @BarnardCollege allowing these pro-terror protestors exclusive access to the building? If they can protest in the building, why can’t we?
I tried and was told to “go away.”
This is blatant discrimination. pic.twitter.com/DJgKPw5XzI
— Elisha (Lishi) Baker (@LishiBaker) February 27, 2025
Elisha (Lishi) Baker, a Columbia student, posted video footage of security guards barring him from entering the building. “Why are they there, but I can’t go in?” he asks guards. “There’s no precedent for allowing one group to take over a building.”
