Dozens of protesters gathered outside the gates of City College in Harlem on Thursday afternoon.

At one point, tensions escalated when a school security officer appeared to use pepper spray on demonstrators, according to a video circulating on social media.

Additional footage shows campus police working to prevent protesters from breaching a fence to access school grounds.

Hours after the crowd dispersed, entrances to the campus remained locked.

Members of the college community were directed to an alternate entry point at 140th Street and St. Nicholas Place. Only individuals with valid student IDs were allowed onto campus.

The demonstration follows last year’s protests, during which dozens of people were arrested as police cleared an encampment.

Members of a group called CUNY for Palestine renewed calls for the university to divest from companies tied to Israel, impose academic boycotts, and investigate the reported use of pepper spray on protesters.

Also on Thursday, Columbia University sent an email to students and staff, stating it is aware of plans for possible encampments forming on its campus and emphasizing that such actions are prohibited under university policy.

Last spring, encampments at Columbia and the occupation of Hamilton Hall led to multiple arrests. University officials reiterated that students who participate in encampments could face arrest.