Photo: TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP / Getty Images
A group of pro-Palestinian protesters, organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, filled the lobby of Trump Tower in New York City on Thursday (March 13). They were demonstrating against the arrest and impending deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University activist. Khalil, a permanent U.S. resident from Syria, was arrested outside his apartment and is currently detained in Louisiana. President Donald Trump has stated that Khalil's arrest is the first of many targeting students involved in what he describes as "pro-terrorist" activities.
The protesters, wearing red shirts with slogans such as "Jews say stop arming Israel," were demanding Khalil's release. The protest led to several arrests after police warned the demonstrators to leave the premises.
Khalil's arrest has sparked a wave of protests across the country, with supporters arguing that it is an attack on free speech. Columbia University has been a hub for pro-Palestinian activism, and the arrest has intensified scrutiny on the institution. The Trump administration recently revoked $400 million in federal funding from Columbia, citing the university's failure to combat antisemitism.