Pro-Palestinian demonstrators stage sit-in at NYC's Barnard College
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators staged a sit-in inside a building at Barnard College in Manhattan on Wednesday.
Flyers handed out by protesters stated they wouldn't leave unless Barnard reverses the expulsion of two students announced last week.
Police sources say in January, the two students intruded on an Israeli studies class and distributed anti-Zionism flyers, which the NYPD deemed a bias incident.
Barnard College employee injured during protest, official says
Police say it started around 4 p.m. at Milbank Hall on 120th Street and Broadway.
According to police, a couple dozen people entered the building and began a sit-in protest.
Masked protesters allegedly physically assaulted a Barnard College employee, who had to be taken to a local hospital, according to Robin Levine, Barnard College's Vice President for Strategic Communications.
The protesters remained inside the building for several hours and refused to leave, officials say. In addition to reversing the two expulsions, protesters also wanted a public meeting with the dean and president, and amnesty for all students disciplined for pro-Palestinian action.
Levine says school leaders offered to meet with protesters if they removed their masks, but the protesters allegedly refused.
"Barnard is a place of learning. Respect, inclusivity, and safety are non-negotiable. Violence and intimidation have no place here," Levine said in part.
According to Levine, it was unclear if all of the protesters were members of the Barnard community.
Levine said the protesters had a 10:30 p.m. deadline to leave Milbank Hall or the school would "be forced to consider additional, necessary measures to protect our campus."
Protesters were seen leaving the building just before 11 p.m.
"What's the administration doing?"
Columbia University student Jonathan Lederer said he had an accounting class that he could not attend.
"We're all still bewildered. What's the administration doing? They should have had plans in place for situations like this and remove them, and this should not be tolerated anymore," he said.
Columbia University student Lishi Baker said he tried to stage a counter-protest, but security told him to leave.
"We saw what happened last spring when protesters were given the chance to negotiate and negotiate, and nothing happened and again we ended up having to call in the NYPD," he said.
CBS News New York's Lisa Rozner tried to speak to protesters as they left Milbank Hall, but they declined to be interviewed.
