Pro-Palestinian demonstrators stage sit-in at Barnard College over student expulsions

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators occupied Barnard College's Milbank Hall to protest the expulsions of students.

On Wednesday, pro-Palestinian demonstrators staged a sit-in at Barnard College’s Milbank Hall in Manhattan, protesting the expulsion of two students who had disrupted a class on Israel in January. The protest, which began around 4 p.m., saw demonstrators push past security and engage in a peaceful occupation of the building. During the demonstration, tensions escalated when protesters were accused of physically assaulting a college employee, sending the worker to the hospital according to the New York Times.

BREAKING: 50+ COLUMBIA STUDENTS FLOOD ADMIN OFFICE OF BARNARD COLLEGE DEMANDING

1. Immediate reversal of the two Barnard students’ expulsions.
2. Amnesty for all students disciplined for pro-Palestine action or thought. Drop all the charges now!
3. A public meeting with Dean… pic.twitter.com/QKSBQ6jIUg

— Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine (@ColumbiaSJP) February 26, 2025

Happening now: Students at Barnard College launch a sit-in of the dean’s office to demand two students expelled for disrupting a class about “the history of modern Israel” in January be un-expelled.

Via anon on the scene: pic.twitter.com/60sqlcTnpd

— Talia Jane ❤️‍🔥 (@taliaotg) February 26, 2025

The protest was in response to the expulsion of two students who had participated in a disruption of Professor Avi Shilon’s “History of Modern Israel” class at Columbia University on January 21. The demonstrators had interrupted the lecture to denounce what they called the “normalization of genocide” in Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, distributing materials that called attention to the ongoing human rights violations in Palestine.

Barnard College’s administration condemned the protestors’ actions, focusing on the alleged assault, but this response ignored the students' call for justice and accountability. President Laura Rosenbury accused the protesters of violating the institution’s values, while the protestors’ chants, including “Intifada revolution” and calls for divestment, highlighted their demand for real action against the occupation of Palestine and the suppression of free speech.

After hours of negotiation, Barnard offered to meet with the protesters under the condition that they remove their masks, a demand that was rejected by the demonstrators. They argued that masks were a necessary form of protection, especially given the charged political climate. By the night’s end, the protesters peacefully exited the building after Barnard threatened to call the police.

The expelled students, who have not been named, were part of a larger movement demanding justice for Palestinians. Barnard’s decision to expel them has been seen by activists as an effort to silence those speaking out against Israel’s policies and to stifle free expression on campus.