Trump Tower stormed by protesters calling for release of Mahmoud Khalil, several arrested
The White House has defended the arrest of pro-Palestinian protest leader and Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, and says the Department of Homeland Security plans to arrest more protesters moving forward.
Jewish protesters filled the Trump Tower lobby on Thursday, calling for the release of the Palestinian activist who was detained over the weekend. Mahmoud Khalil, a student of Columbia University, was a prominent figure in protests on the Manhattan campus against Israel's war in Gaza.
After noon, protesters from the group Jewish Voice for Peace, were seen on the lobby wearing red T-shirts reading “Jews say stop arming Israel” and carrying signs reading “Opposing fascism is a Jewish tradition” and “Fight Nazis, not students,” chanted “Bring Mahmoud home now!” The protesters were also chanting the common “Free, free Palestine” slogan.
Protesters call for the release of Mahmoud Khalil
After warning the Jewish group to leave the Fifth Avenue building or face arrest, police began restraining them with zip ties and loading them into police vans outside about an hour into the protest. They arrested 98 of them on various charges, including trespassing, obstruction and resisting arrest, a police officer said at a news conference.
Among those who participated in Thursday's protest was actress Debra Winger, who has spoken about her Jewish faith and upbringing over the years. Winger accused the Trump administration of having “no interest in Jewish security” and of “appropriating anti-Semitism.” “I am just defending my rights, and I am defending Mahmoud Khalil, who has been illegally kidnapped and taken to an unknown location,” she stated.
Protest at Trump Tower
Khalil's supporters say his arrest is an attack on free speech and have organized protests in other parts of the city and the country. Hundreds of people demonstrated outside a Manhattan courthouse Wednesday during a brief hearing on his case.
Trump Tower serves as the headquarters of the Trump Organization and is where the president stays when he is in New York. The skyscraper often attracts demonstrations, both against and in favor of its namesake, although protests inside are less frequent.
Kaz Daughtry, Deputy Major for public safety and former New York Police Department official, said no one was injured in Thursday's protest. However, he added that the city would evaluate the situation and review its procedures “so this does not happen again.”
Who is Mahmoud Khalil?
Mahmoud Khalil, a permanent resident of the United States who is married to a U.S. citizen and has not been charged with violating any laws, was arrested by ICE agents outside his New York City apartment on Saturday. He faces deportation. A federal judge has blocked his deportation for now, ordering that Khalil not be removed while legal proceedings continue.
President Donald Trump has claimed that Khalil's arrest was the first “of many to come” and vowed on social media to deport students who he says engage in “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic and anti-American activities.”
Khalil, who was set to receive his diploma this spring, was among the pro-Palestinian student protesters who represented Columbia students during negotiations last year. The protests were aimed at opposing Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza and calling for the university to divest from Israel. On Saturday, Khalil was arrested and is currently detained at the Jena/LaSalle Detention Facility in Jena, Louisiana. His legal team has filed a habeas corpus petition, claiming that his detention is unlawful. A hearing for his case is scheduled for Wednesday.