On Thursday, a large crowd of protesters gathered inside the lobby of Trump Tower in New York City to oppose the arrest and detention of Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil. The Trump administration is seeking to deport Khalil due to his pro-Palestinian activism, a move that has ignited fierce backlash from activists, civil liberties groups, and international figures.
Khalil, a legal U.S. permanent resident, was arrested in New York on Saturday and is now being held in an immigration detention center in Louisiana. His case has drawn condemnation from Democratic lawmakers, the United Nations special rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and civil rights advocates.
Jewish Voice for Peace Leads Protest at Trump Tower
The protest was organized by Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), a progressive Jewish anti-Zionist organization, which declared the demonstration an act of resistance against what they see as a political crackdown.
“We are taking over Trump Tower to register our mass refusal,” JVP stated on social media. “We will not stand by as this administration criminalizes Palestinians and those who speak out against Israel’s U.S.-funded military actions in Gaza.”
Trump Tower, located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, serves as the headquarters of the Trump Organization and is home to former President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and their son Barron Trump, who currently studies at New York University.
NYPD Makes Nearly 100 Arrests
According to the New York Police Department (NYPD), at least 150 protesters stormed the building, carrying signs with messages like “FIGHT NAZIS NOT STUDENTS” and “FREE MAHMOUD FREE PALESTINE.” Videos circulating online showed police arresting demonstrators inside the lobby, with 98 people taken into custody.
Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry confirmed in an interview with Fox News that all protesters had been removed from the building without injuries.
The Trump Organization has not released an official statement regarding the protest.
Trump Administration’s Crackdown on Activists
Khalil’s arrest signals the beginning of the Trump administration’s campaign pledge to deport foreign-born activists who participated in pro-Palestinian protests on U.S. college campuses last year.
The protests erupted in response to Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, following the October 2023 Hamas attack. Khalil, known for his activism at Columbia University, has been a central figure in the movement, which has spread across dozens of U.S. universities.
Trump took to social media to brand Khalil as a “Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student”, warning that his arrest was just the first of many.
The case has sparked a fierce national debate on free speech, immigration policies, and political dissent in the United States.
