By West Side Rag
A bomb threat brought an end to an occupation of Barnard College’s Milstein Center for Teaching and Learning by protestors Wednesday evening. Police confirmed there was no risk to the public and arrested nine people.
According to reporting by the Columbia Spectator, a sit-in at the center, located at 3009 Broadway, began at 1 p.m., with protestors calling for the reinstatement of three Barnard students who had been expelled for earlier incidents. Barnard administrators reported a bomb threat at 4:15 p.m. and urged everyone in the building to evacuate. NYPD officers then entered campus at about 4:50 p.m., according to the Spectator, and began detaining protestors who had refused to leave.
The NYPD confirmed that the bomb-threat incident had been investigated and cleared, with no threat to the public. The nine individuals were taken into custody and issued desk appearance tickets. All were charged with obstructing governmental administration, trespass, and disorderly conduct.
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They should be expelled. But of course breaking rules and laws now comes with no consequences. The little darlings can really do whatever they want. I’m no Trump fan but bring on the hearings and financial cuts.
You’re a Trump fan.
Irony about Trump not following the rules/laws.
Trump is the leader of “breaking the law and not facing punishments”. In reality… He just pardoned hundreds of people who are associated with the deaths of 4 police officers stemming from the January 6 insurrection.
Unfortunately the lines have been blurred by his constant lying. Do we protest? Is it still legal? What are the conditions to speak up these days? He doesn’t stand for anything but self enrichment. And will readily lie to put a wedge between allies.
Without being too specific. I am not a huge fan of these protests either. They led to Trump being elected. Of course he omitted the “Disney Gaza” plan when speaking to pro-Palestinian voters.
The list of lies Trump told during the election process in order to win and avoid prosecution are numerous. If these protesters were for “his agenda”, he would be defending them like… If they were storming Washington DC.
Well, last semester, after the dramatic takedown of the protesters across the street at Columbia, the charges against the students were (at least for the most part and maybe universally) dropped. Not sure how the costs incurred by the police department for the intervention were allocated but it felt strange that the university could call in for support and then later back-off on the follow through.
Barnard sent out a follow-up letter today saying that it has been determined that none of the nine people arrested were Barnard students.
I doubt that none of them were students. More “outside agitator” propaganda. Rumor has it Barnard called in the bomb threat to get people outside to arrest.
Then Barnard has foolishly or purposely inadequate security. How did the protestors get into the building? Any normal campus requires student ID to access.
They probably walked in with their masks and security didn’t confront them because everyone’s afraid of everything.
This is exactly why the campuses are locked, and people are complaining. The gates will never open to the public until these outside agitators leave.
Nah, can’t be. My comments about outside agitators at the prior rounds of “protests” were heavily censored.
Enough of these disruptive protests. They have completely lost all sympathy for their cause. It is a shame a handful of people (most of which may not even be students) are causing so much damage and disruption.
Race to the bottom. I feel terrible for the students there that want an education.
This incident is unfortunate and must be condemned, but let us not lose sight on how all Muslims on the UWS and in our society are scapegoated for this despite not being at all involved. Muslims on the UWS are not garbage.
That is completely not happening.
It very much is happening and denying that it is actually does not help the situation.
Protesting students should consider an outdoor peaceful protest targeting trumps GAZA statement in exchange for reinstating the 3 students expelled for claiming Israel’s infractions with HAMAS.
Rationale has changed but GAZA and student upset remains! Dean should consider this along with student protestors! Shake hands, continue a peaceful protest, and make up!!!
Why are people so upset about what is going on at Barnard? It is not like the protestors are interfering with the public’s usage of the subways, the bridges or the parks. Barnard is private. In my near 40 years in the area I have never set foot on the Barnard campus because I can’t. Could it be that the problem is not the protests, but what they are protesting?
So because you aren’t personally inconvenienced, it’s all ok. Who cares about the students who can’t study or attend class. Who cares about respecting private property when it’s not yours.
There’s a whole world out there that doesn’t have you at the center.
But Barnard is the aggrieved party. Shouldn’t they be the one to request the remedy?
A lot of complaining about a lack of consequences. The protest was “calling for the reinstatement of three Barnard students who had been expelled for earlier incidents.” They were literally protesting consequences.
As for protests, let’s be very careful how far we go in limiting and condemning other people who exercise their 1st Amendment rights. Yes, there are limits and expected decorum, and disrupting the activities of a university is not acceptable. But not agreeing with you is not a reason to limit someone’s speech or right to assemble. One day you may wish to make your voice heard (maybe even in the comments section of the West Side Rag) and you will want the same protections and respect due any other law-abiding person.
You don’t have ANY right to assemble on someone’s private property – especially when they’ve told you to cease and desist.
You can come voice your 1st Amendment rights of free speech at my home – up and until I feel offended and show you the door. With or without reason. Whether or not I agree or disagree with you. For related on completely unrelated reasons. Rationally or irrationally. I absolutely have every right to limit any and all activity of yours on my property..
It’s protected speech.
Notably, Trump didn’t cancel NYU grants, I wonder why. /s
It doesn’t matter if it is protected speech. As others have posted, the general rule is that a private university may suppress what would otherwise be considered protected speech without violating the First Amendment.
The Supreme Court has rejected arguments that the First Amendment requires private property owners to accommodate any speech.
From the ACLU website:
“As a rule, the First Amendment doesn’t give you the right to engage in free- speech activities on private property unless you own or lease the property, or the owner has given you permission to use the property for speech…”
The President just canceled 400 million in Grants to Columbia until they get their act together.
DJT illegally cancelled.
It’s established law.
Imagine if Massachusetts only admitted students into public universities if the family supported X policy. The case would be laughed out of court. But with “minds” like Thomas….
Suggested here days ago. You’re welcome.
Four of the nine arrested at the Barnard situation were Columbia students, so they had IDs. Note that Barnard and Columbia are affiliated, but Barnard is not a division of Columbia; it has its own president and board. Those four have been suspended by Columbia pending further disciplinary process.
The protestors seem to be attesting that the bomb threat was a diversion, either by Barnard or by the police, to have an excuse to move and arrest them. Do we think there’s any truth to that?