Last Updated on 3 weeks by Ashley Michael
A group of Columbia University graduates and students tore up their diplomas during a protest on Alumni Day, denouncing the school and federal authorities for detaining Mahmoud Khalil, a former student and anti-Israel protest leader. The demonstration, held at the School of International and Public Affairs, featured chants of “Free Palestine!” and calls for Khalil’s release.
Protesters criticized the university’s leadership and its recent compliance with Trump administration policies on campus protests, including a ban on facial coverings. Interim President Katrina Armstrong’s recent removal by the board of trustees has only added to tensions, with protesters dismissing her successor, Claire Shipman, as another figurehead unwilling to listen to students.
Khalil, a 30-year-old Syrian-born Algerian citizen, was arrested by ICE at his university-owned apartment following anti-Israel protests, including one featuring materials allegedly linked to Hamas. The Trump administration is seeking to deport him, citing undisclosed ties to UNRWA, a controversial UN agency. Columbia University students and alumni decried his detention,
With one of his friend saying, “It’s hard to go to class and not think about him.” Meanwhile, federal officials argue Khalil was involved in activities connected to Hamas, a claim that his supporters strongly reject. The protest underscores ongoing divisions on campus over the handling of pro-Palestinian activism and federal intervention.
MarsLink News, Source: Full sroty NY Post