A new video shows a major riot breaking out as pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protesters gathered at Barnard College in New York City on Thursday. The protest took place just one day after over 50 pro-Palestinian protesters temporarily took over a Barnard College building.
According to Fox News, New York Police Department officials arrested multiple protesters on Thursday after roughly 100 pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the entrance to Barnard College in keffiyehs and masks. A video shared on X, formerly Twitter, shows the pro-Palestinian chanting, “Free Palestine,” “No justice, no peace,” “No KKK, no fascist USA,” and “NYPD, KKK.”
Fox News reported that the clash between protesters and police officials grew more heated on Thursday as the pro-Palestinian protesters attempted to march from Barnard College to the City University of New York’s campus ahead of an event featuring Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.) The outlet noted that the event was ultimately canceled due to concerns of potential protesters.
The video from Thursday’s protest also shows protesters attempting to breach police barricades as the pro-Palestinian protesters repeatedly clashed with law enforcement officials.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) issued a statement on Thursday regarding the pro-Palestinian protests and shared pictures from Wednesday’s protest inside a Barnard College academic building.
READ MORE: Video: Thousands of anti-Trump protesters gather at US Capitol
“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,” Johnson tweeted. “Pro-Hamas mobs have NO place on our college campuses. Barnard College & Columbia University must put an end to the antisemitic chaos on campus.”
According to The New York Post, the pro-Palestinian protesters’ takeover of Barnard’s Milbank Hall building came after two students were expelled from Columbia University for disrupting a classroom and distributing anti-Israeli flyers.
The New York Post reported that Wednesday’s protesters left graffiti on the walls of Milbank Hall, with messages such as “Free Palestine,” “F-ck Barnard,” and “Barnard expels students.” While the group of protesters eventually left the building after 10 p.m. on Wednesday, the protesters had threatened to remain in the building until college administrators agreed to hold “good-faith and substantive negotiations.”
According to Fox News, Robin Levine, vice president for Barnard’s strategic communications, confirmed that Wednesday’s protest at the college resulted in a faculty member being hospitalized.
In a post on social media, Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine shared videos of Wednesday’s protest and gave a list of demands for college administrators to meet.
“DISRUPTION UNTIL DIVESTMENT, RESISTANCE UNTIL RETURN, AGITATION UNTIL AMNESTY,” the group tweeted. “WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL OUR DEMANDS ARE MET. FREE PALESTINE.”
