A group of more than 50 anti-Israel protesters took over a building at New York City’s Barnard College and allegedly assaulted an employee Wednesday evening.

The students were protesting the expulsion of two students who stormed a Columbia University classroom in January and allegedly threw around flyers filled with hateful speech.

Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine displayed videos on X of masked students in a hallway beating on drums and chanting on megaphones.

A “Free Palestine” flag hangs inside a building at Barnard College. (X/Columbia Jewish & Israeli Students)

A spokesperson for Barnard said the protesters had assaulted a college employee who ended up being sent to the hospital. 

“They encouraged others to enter campus without identification, showing blatant disregard for the safety of our community,” Robin Levine, Barnard College’s Vice President for Strategic Communications, said in a statement.

Students try to enter the door of a building at Barnard College in New York City. (Eisha (Lishi) Baker via Storyful)

Levine said she would give them until 9:30 p.m. to leave the building or the school would take other actions. 

“We have made multiple good-faith efforts to de-escalate. Barnard leadership offered to meet with the protesters,” Levine’s statement said. “They refused. We have also offered mediation.”

The protesters began leaving the building by 11 p.m., according to reports by FOX 5 New York.