In a bold protest inside Trump Tower on Thursday, about 100 demonstrators, including Jewish elders, Holocaust survivors’ descendants, and students, were arrested during a sit-in organized by Jewish Voice for Peace. The protest called for the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and recent Columbia University graduate, who remains detained under controversial circumstances.
The protesters, wearing red T-shirts emblazoned with the message “Jews say stop arming Israel,” gathered in the Manhattan skyscraper’s lobby to demand justice.
Nate Cohen, a member of Jewish Voice for Peace, passionately addressed the crowd, saying, “We will not comply… ‘Never again’ means right now. ‘Never again’ means for everyone,” emphasizing that the wrongful treatment of Khalil should not be allowed to happen again.
In a related legal move, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) filed a lawsuit on behalf of Khalil and other Columbia students against both Columbia University and a U.S. House committee. The lawsuit claims that the university and committee unlawfully disclosed and requested student records, violating privacy rights. CAIR attorney said, “No student should fear that their private information will be handed over to politicians who seek to punish advocacy for Palestinian human rights.”
The protests and legal actions highlight the growing tension surrounding the treatment of Palestinian activists and the ongoing debate over advocacy for Palestinian rights on U.S. college campuses.
