On Wednesday afternoon, Barnard College’s Milstein Center became the center of a tense standoff as a group of over twenty masked pro-Palestinian demonstrators occupied the building. Their sit-in escalated when a bomb threat was reported around 5 p.m., prompting an urgent response from the New York Police Department (NYPD).

Incident Overview

The demonstration began around 1 p.m. and led to a significant police presence as the NYPD conducted evacuations following the threat. Several demonstrators chose not to leave the premises and were subsequently taken into custody, with charges pending against them.

Response from College Administration

In light of the disruption, Barnard College President Laura Ann Rosenbury released a statement expressing her concern about the impact of such disruptions on the campus community. She noted, “Today has been unsettling and disturbing, and these continued disruptions take a toll on our community. The desire of a few to disrupt and threaten cannot outweigh the needs of the students, faculty, and staff who call our campus home.”

Political Reaction

Political figures have also reacted to the unfolding situation. Representative Ritchie Torres commented on social media, suggesting that institutions like Barnard should adopt clear disciplinary policies to deter future protests: “If colleges like Barnard had a clear policy of expelling students who take over private property, the hostile takeovers would end in a heartbeat. The lack of accountability is an open invitation to lawlessness and disorder on college campuses.”

Recent Developments

This protest marks the second significant demonstration at Barnard College in a week. Earlier, students occupied Milbank Hall for over six hours in a separate protest linked to demands for the reinstatement of students expelled for distributing offensive material and disrupting classes. Demonstrators are adamant that their concerns have not yet been adequately addressed.

Looking Ahead

Barnard’s administration has engaged with protest organizers, with President Rosenbury offering discussions with some leaders of the demonstrations. However, the protestors have stated that this engagement does not fully meet their demands.