A group of Columbia University alumni gathered to denounce the school by ripping up their diplomas in protest against the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate student and green card holder. The demonstration was organized by SIPA Alumni for Palestine and marked the latest escalation in protests following Khalil’s arrest on March 8.
Khalil’s lawyers say he is currently being detained in a facility in Louisiana. The Trump administration has accused him of being a threat to foreign policy due to his role in pro-Palestinian protests on campus, claiming that protesters with student visas are not allowed to participate in such movements.
Alumni and current students chanted “Free Palestine” and held up signs during the protest, which was also attended by Amali Tower, a 2009 SIPA graduate. Tower, who spoke at the event, said she had to fight hard to get her master’s degree due to her own experiences as an immigrant.
Columbia University’s interim president, Dr. Katrina Armstrong, stepped down on Friday to return to her role as principal of the school’s Irving Medical Center. She will be replaced by Claire Shipman, who has testified before Congress about combating antisemitism.
The protest follows a leadership shake-up at Columbia and comes as other universities have seen foreign-born students detained by federal authorities. Students at Columbia are now saying they have lost faith in their school, fearing for their safety and the value of their education.
“It’s hard to go to class without thinking of Mahmoud,” said Jasmine Sarryeh, a master’s student studying public affairs at SIPA. “Columbia University used to be a bastion of freedom of speech and academic freedom, but it’s headed in a really dark direction.”
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/columbia-university-alumni-rip-diplomas-protest-school-leadership-rcna198739