Introduction to the Pro-Palestine Protest
Pro-Palestine protesters were arrested after occupying Trump Tower on March 13.
Following the news that Columbia University student and pro-Palestine protester Mahmoud Khalil will remain in ICE custody, pro-Palestinian protesters took to Trump Tower to voice their support for Khalil, resulting in about a hundred arrests.
The Protest at Trump Tower
On March 13, protesters occupied the lobby of Trump Tower, located at 725 5th Ave. in Midtown, to call for the release of Khalil, who was detained by ICE last weekend. Khalil was taken into custody despite being a legal U.S. permanent resident with a valid green card and not having broken any actual laws.
Despite Khalil’s legal residency, the White House confirmed that they would be working to have Khalil — whose wife is eight months pregnant — deported, which opponents say is a violation of Khalil’s First Amendment and civil rights.
The Reason Behind the Protest
“Right now, we’re fighting back against the Trump regime’s attack on freedom of speech and the right to protest, and we’re calling for Mahmoud Khalil’s freedom. We’re here to call for the end of the genocide in Gaza and for Mahmoud Khalil to be freed, to return home,” said Tal Frieden, a protester at Trump Tower, told amNewYork Metro. “We’re seeing the Trump regime weaponize antisemitism to attack freedom of speech, to attack our immigrant communities and the Palestine Liberation Movement, but we know today is Mahmoud Khalil, and tomorrow it could be anyone.”
The Protest in Action
In a video streamed on X from Jewish Voice for Peace, protesters could be heard chanting “Free Mahmoud” while holding signs that say “Free Mahmoud, Free Palestine,” “Jews for Palestinian freedom,” and “Fight Nazis, not students.” Around a hundred people were reportedly arrested during this demonstration.
“I was always told about their experience in the Holocaust, and my family that died in the Warsaw ghetto,” said Frieden. “And what we’re seeing is that the Trump regime is continuing the genocide in Gaza and attacking our freedom of speech here in the US.”
Photo by Dean Moses
The lobby was reportedly cleared out by around 1:15 p.m.
The Aftermath of the Protest
On March 12, a hearing at the court in Lower Manhattan confirmed that Khalil would temporarily remain in ICE custody, resulting in demonstrators and journalists — who were nearby waiting on the result of the hearing — descending upon the courthouse. Mass demonstrations have broken out throughout the city since Khalil’s arrest, with hundreds of New Yorkers voicing their support for Khalil.
“We are here to say we won’t back down, and we’ll fight to protect the rights of all immigrants and all New Yorkers as we fight for freedom and liberation in Gaza,” said Frieden.
Photo by Dean Moses
Conclusion
The protest at Trump Tower highlights the ongoing struggle for freedom of speech and the right to protest in the United States. The detention of Mahmoud Khalil has sparked widespread outrage and solidarity among pro-Palestine supporters, who are demanding his release and an end to the genocide in Gaza. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the government will respond to the growing calls for justice and equality.
FAQs
Q: Who is Mahmoud Khalil?
A: Mahmoud Khalil is a Columbia University student and pro-Palestine protester who was detained by ICE despite being a legal U.S. permanent resident with a valid green card.
Q: Why was Mahmoud Khalil detained?
A: Khalil was detained by ICE, and the White House has confirmed that they are working to have him deported, despite not having broken any laws.
Q: What were the protesters demanding?
A: The protesters were demanding the release of Mahmoud Khalil and an end to the genocide in Gaza.
Q: How many people were arrested during the protest?
A: Around a hundred people were reportedly arrested during the demonstration at Trump Tower.
