Hundreds of demonstrators flooded Trump Tower in New York on Thursday, protesting the detention of Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil and expressing opposition to President Donald Trump's controversial policy on Gaza. The protesters, many affiliated with Jewish Voice for Peace, occupied the landmark skyscraper, which has been closely linked to Trump since his 2015 presidential campaign.

Clad in red T-shirts reading "Jews say stop arming Israel," the group took security by surprise as they chanted slogans against Khalil's arrest and the administration's broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism. Some participants were detained, though the exact number of arrests has not been confirmed by authorities. 

BREAKING: Jewish American activists have taken over the lobby of Trump Tower in New York to demand the release of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, who faces deportation for protesting Israel’s war on Gaza. pic.twitter.com/2tHexHSSwp

— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) March 13, 2025

The demonstration was prompted by the recent arrest of Khalil, a Palestinian student at Columbia University, who was taken into custody over the weekend. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) accused him of harboring views that align with Hamas, arguing that his activism threatens US foreign policy. Khalil remains detained in Louisiana, facing potential deportation—an action that civil rights groups say poses a serious risk to free speech.

"New York Jews are coming out to demand the release of Mahmoud Khalil and demand that our Jewishness not be weaponized to steal the rights of American citizens and to end our democracy," filmmaker and Columbia professor James Schamus told AFP.

Schamus also denounced the administration's legal justification for Khalil's detention, stating, "The Trump-Musk regime has made it clear that they are not charging Mahmoud Khalil with any crime, that they are accusing him of having opinions that they say 'align with Hamas.'"

Read more: ICE secretly moved Mahmoud Khalil in retaliation: The Intercept

As the protest unfolded, police officers moved to disperse the crowd, carrying plastic restraints in preparation for more arrests. Tourists visiting the gold and pink marble-adorned skyscraper appeared confused by the sudden demonstration. A Trump Tower employee, speaking anonymously to AFP, remarked, "It was suspicious when all these people came in and none went to the restaurant."