Mass Demonstrations in NYC After Palestinian Activist Khalil’s Detention

NYC Volunteers

Protests erupted in New York City following the Department of Homeland Security’s illegal detention of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil. On March 8, ICE agents entered his Columbia University-owned student housing without a warrant, stating that his student visa is revoked and that he is being detained. When Khalil’s 8-month pregnant wife told ICE agents that he is in fact a green card holder, showing documentation to the agents, the agents called their supervisor, who announced that Khalil’s green card has been “revoked” – something that typically requires the intervention of an immigration judge. Khalil was then abducted by the agents and held in detention in Manhattan.

As his lawyers began to demand his release, they discovered that, within hours, the government had transferred him to an ICE facility in Louisiana—known for its heinous treatment of prisoners—to make his legal proceedings more difficult. His lawyers successfully pressured the Manhattan district judge to order his return to Manhattan for his court date, which is set for Wednesday, 03/12.

The case has received national and international attention, with leading far-right reactionaries including Trump himself mockingly mentioning Khalil by name and seeking to make an example out of him in an attempt to deescalate the pro-Palestine solidarity movement. This failed—immediately, massive protests were called in New York City, including at Columbia University, with thousands of protesters taking to the streets demanding Khalil’s immediate release.

On Monday (03/10), over a thousand people assembled at Foley Square in Lower Manhattan. People stood shoulder to shoulder around the speakers, listening and echoing their calls for justice, chanting “Free Mahmoud Khalil”, “Free Palestine” and “We want justice, you say how: Free Mahmoud Khalil Now, ICE off our campus now!”

The energy was strong, with protesters determined and united. As the rally grew, protesters began to march through the streets, covering about half a mile as they chanted. More than 100 NYPD officers were present, and one person was detained.

On Tuesday (03/11), over a hundred protesters gathered at Columbia University’s main campus, where Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) organized a sit-in in the center of campus. Students and faculty rallied around the activists, who denounced the hypocrisy of the campus administration for setting up barricades around the pro-Palestine Jewish students under the specter of combating antisemitism. They denounced the university administration for giving up Khalil to ICE—who had emailed university administrators the day prior to his detention requesting protection—and demanded his immediate release. The crowd chanted “ICE off campus!” and “No deportation, no cooperation!”

While JVP speakers demanded the university administration immediately institute a policy of prohibiting university officials from reporting students to ICE and to stop complying with ICE in the absence of a judicial warrant, they stopped short from calling for an end to cooperation with ICE altogether, restricting the demand to simply abiding by the law.

Later that afternoon, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Lower Manhattan continuing to march and chant, demanding the immediate release of Khalil. Protesters were trailed by NYPD the entire time, and upon reaching City Hall were blocked by the police from getting near the building. Police began arresting protesters in the streets. At least 7 people were arrested, including a Columbia student.

When asked about the significance of the protest, one demonstrator told a volunteer with The Worker: “I think it’s a beautiful way for people to gather and show that, although individually the government makes you feel that you have no say or no power and you have to rely on these politicians, a unified voice and people coming together to stand and speak up for what everyone thinks, what they believe in, for what everyone believes in, that’s the only way to make a change.”

She continued: “You know, the police, they try to make you feel guilty or try to make you feel like a criminal for using your voice. And of course, it’s against the law because they need to keep you all in control. But you have to speak out, and you have to speak up because that’s the only way you can show the world that is not a controversial topic, you know? This is ethnic cleansing, it’s horrible and it’s inhumane what’s happening to the Palestinian people, so yes, of course, free Palestine. I think everyone should use their free will and their action to push out and speak up and rebel against the powers that are trying to keep you down and trying to make you think that you can’t do anything about this.”

Another protester told a volunteer with The Worker how he thinks the demand to free Khalil can be won: “Really just mass action—everybody coming out, demanding his immediate release, still standing strong and vocal in our support for Palestine and our refusal to allow this genocide to continue. I think it’s blatantly obvious Khalil was targeted, not just to silence his voice, but to silence all the student voices. The encampments really did get them shook up and they’re really scared about seeing that pop off again this spring, seeing this mass movement. So, if we just keep building, taking the streets, talking to each other, organizing with our classmates, students, teachers, friends and neighbors, we are gonna win this in the long run.”

The Worker calls on all progressives and revolutionaries nationally and internationally to show support for Mahmoud Khalil, signing the petition for his release, donating to his legal campaign, writing letters of solidarity, and organizing for his release.

Image: Tuesday (3/11) demonstration calling for freedom for Mahmoud Khalil in Manhattan

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