Campus Protest Erupts at Columbia over Arrest of Palestinian Activists
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Demonstrators chained themselves to the gates of Columbia University on Monday, urging the US government to release two Palestinian student activists detained by immigration authorities.
A group of protesters gathered at the intersection of 116th Street and Amsterdam Avenue in New York City, chaining themselves to the campus gates of Columbia University.
They demanded the release of Mohsen Mahdawi, a legal permanent resident and former student organizer at Columbia, who was detained last week at a US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office in Vermont during a citizenship interview.
Protesters also called for the immediate release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and green card holder arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on March 8.
Khalil’s arrest followed an order by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to revoke his student visa and green card.
Demonstrators held signs reading “Free Our Brothers, Free Mahmoud, Free Mohsen,” “Free Our Prisoners, Free Them All,” and “Free All Our Political Prisoners.”
They chanted slogans including, “We want justice, you say how? Free Mohsen Mahdawi now!”
According to protesters, Mahdawi is the ninth student from Columbia University facing deportation amid a broader campaign targeting international students involved in Palestinian solidarity efforts.
The detentions come as part of executive actions by US President Donald Trump to deport foreign nationals labeled as having “hostile attitudes” toward the United States.
The policy includes a crackdown on what the administration describes as antisemitism, leading to the removal of foreign students participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations on college campuses.
