It didn’t take long for the pro-Khalil protesters to do exactly what Mahmoud Khalil himself was accused of doing—disrupting public order, harassing law enforcement, and chanting slogans openly calling for violence.
On Tuesday, about a dozen demonstrators were arrested in Manhattan after they ignored police warnings and blocked traffic in support of Khalil, the former Columbia University student now in ICE custody and awaiting possible deportation.
Even beyond his anti-semitism and disruption on campus, this 31-year old student’s group wants to “eradicate Western civilization.”
This is who the Senate Democrats are championing? https://t.co/KTyKhMl6Hi
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) March 12, 2025
Khalil, a Syrian national of Palestinian descent, was arrested over the weekend and transferred to an immigration detention facility in Louisiana as the Trump administration moves to revoke his legal residency.
The White House has made it clear why Khalil is facing deportation:
- He organized protests that harassed Jewish students on campus.
- He distributed pro-Hamas propaganda flyers featuring the Hamas logo.
- He actively participated in demonstrations that disrupted campus activities.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt didn’t mince words:
“This is an individual who organized group protests that not only disrupted college campus classes and harassed Jewish American students and made them feel unsafe on their own college campus, but also distributed pro-Hamas propaganda flyers with the logo of Hamas.”
Khalil’s arrest triggered a wave of protests in New York City, where hundreds of demonstrators marched from Washington Square Park to Federal Plaza Immigration Court, chanting:
“There is only one solution, intifada revolution.”
Let’s be very clear about what “intifada” means. This isn’t some abstract call for justice—it’s a reference to violent uprisings that have historically included bombings, stabbings, and terrorist attacks against civilians.
And yet, these same protesters claim that Khalil is a “political prisoner” who is being persecuted for his speech.
The situation escalated when protesters refused to clear the streets, leading to multiple arrests.
- One protester was tackled by police after resisting arrest.
- Demonstrators hurled anti-police insults, chanting:
- “Move cops, get out the way, we know you’re Israeli-trained.”
- “Oink, oink, piggy, piggy. We’re gonna make your lives s—tty.”
- At least one person was arrested for disorderly conduct and obstruction.
Later, more clashes erupted outside Gracie Mansion, where protesters disrupted an Iftar event hosted by NYC Mayor Eric Adams to demand Khalil’s release.
