Protesters supporting activist Mahmoud Khalil occupied the Trump Tower lobby in Manhattan, demanding his release upon being detained by ICE.
The protesters held signs reading, “Free Mahmoud, Free Palestine” and “Fight Nazis Not Students.” They also chanted, “Free Mahmoud, Free them All!”
At least 50 people have been detained with zip ties.
The organization Jewish Voice for Peace is behind the protest.
“As Jews, we are taking over the Trump Tower to register our mass refusal,” the group wrote on X. “We will not stand by as this fascist regime attempts to criminalize Palestinians and all those calling for an end to the Israeli government’s US-funded genocide of the Palestinian people. And we will never stop fighting for a free Palestine.”
Khalil is a Columbia University graduate who played a key role in leading campus protests. Attorney Amy Greer explained that the activist was in his university-owned apartment at the time of his arrest.
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated that Khalil’s arrest was linked to his “activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.” McLaughlin noted that the arrest was “in support of President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism.”
A petition calling for Khalil’s release has also been launched.
“This racist targeting serves to instill fear in pro-Palestine activists as well as a warning to others,” the petition says. “Add your name to demand the immediate release of Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil from DHS detention and a reversal to Columbia University’s protocol permitting ICE on campus without a warrant.”
