Pro-Palestine Demonstrators Protest Trump Policies in NYC
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Synopsis
On March 12, 2024, hundreds of pro-Palestine demonstrators took to the streets of New York City to protest against the Trump administration's Middle East policies, campus protests, and immigration actions, culminating in several arrests and heightened tensions.
Key Takeaways
- Pro-Palestine protests erupt in New York City.
- Trump administration revokes funding from Columbia University.
- Mahmoud Khalil's arrest by ICE sparks outrage.
- Concerns over First Amendment rights raised.
- Protesters demand Khalil's release and accountability from the university.
New York, March 12 (NationPress) Hundreds of pro-Palestine activists gathered for a rally and march in New York City to voice their opposition to the Donald Trump administration's policies regarding the Middle East, campus demonstrations, and immigration policies.
Participants marched from Washington Park to City Hall in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday afternoon, with several individuals being detained by law enforcement, according to a report by Xinhua news agency.
Last Friday, the Trump administration revoked $400 million in federal funding for Columbia University, citing anti-Semitic reasons, while also initiating a review of other universities.
Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia, was arrested in his university dorm on Saturday by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Khalil, a permanent resident, played a key role in the pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia that began in April 2024. His wife, a US citizen who is eight months pregnant, has reportedly received threats from ICE, according to Khalil's legal representative.
These actions by the Trump administration have ignited a fresh wave of pro-Palestine protests in New York City.
“This is just the beginning of arrests to come. We are aware that there are more students at Columbia and other universities nationwide who have been involved in activities deemed pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, and anti-American, and the Trump Administration will not stand for it,” Trump stated in a social media post on Monday.
During the march, numerous demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and held banners proclaiming “Free Mahmoud Khalil.”
“This is a violation of the First Amendment. Furthermore, the university is facilitating ICE's detention of its students, which is both wrong and unacceptable,” asserted Ruby Martin, a protester.
Martin expressed her alarm that Columbia University permitted ICE to operate on campus to detain students. She plans to participate in another march advocating for Khalil's release later on Tuesday.
“The university has been complicit in this situation for far too long. It's time for it to end,” remarked Katherine Wilson, an adjunct professor at two New York universities, who carried a sign reading “Faculty Against Fascism” during the march.
According to the New York Police Department (NYPD), 12 individuals were arrested as the marchers reached City Hall.
A hearing for Khalil, who could potentially face deportation, is slated for Wednesday.
