NEW YORK — Pro-Palestinian protesters wearing kaffiyeh scarves and masks pushed their way into Barnard College’s Milbank Hall, which houses the offices of the dean, and assaulted a school employee Wednesday, according to the school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The protesters later left Milbank Hall in the night \u201cwithout further incident,\u201d Barnard President Laura Rosenbury said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut let us be clear: their disregard for the safety of our community remains completely unacceptable,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The school had warned that if the students were not gone by 9:30 p.m. officials could be forced to take \u201cadditional, necessary measures to protect our campus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The student group Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine said on the social platform X that protesters dispersed after the administration agreed to meet with them Thursday afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The demonstrators demanded amnesty for all students disciplined for pro-Palestine action; a meeting with Rosenbury and Dean Leslie Grinage; and reversal of the expulsion of two students, according to the group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL OUR DEMANDS ARE MET. FREE PALESTINE,\u201d it posted on X earlier in the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An employee was sent to the hospital after being assaulted by the protesters, Robin Levine, Barnard\u2019s vice president for strategic communications, said in a statement, without offering further details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The protesters also encouraged other people to come on campus without identification, Levine added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBarnard leadership offered to meet with the protesters \u2014 just as we meet with all members of our community \u2014 on one simple condition: remove their masks,\u201d she said earlier in the evening. \u201cThey refused. We have also offered mediation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Videos posted by the student group showed people wearing masks and kaffiyeh scarves chanting in a hallway. Some banged on drums, while others held megaphones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Palestinian flags were hung on the walls and slogans such as \u201cBarnard funds genocide\u201d and \u201cFree Palestine” were scrawled on the walls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n