Columbia alumni and students protested the university’s handling of pro-Palestinian activism, sparked by the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, and voiced frustration over recent leadership changes.

A group of alumni from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) gathered on Saturday, March 29, 2025, to publicly protest the institution, tearing up their diplomas in response to the recent detention of a graduate student and the university’s leadership decisions, NBC News reported. 

The demonstration was sparked by the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and SIPA graduate student, who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on March 8, 2025. Khalil, a green card holder, was arrested at his university-owned apartment, igniting a wave of anger and frustration among students and alumni alike.

The protest was organized by SIPA Alumni for Palestine, with speeches from alumni and current students. Demonstrators chanted slogans such as “Free Palestine” and “Free Mahmoud Khalil,” before collectively tearing up their diplomas. 

“It’s not easy to do this, none of us are doing this lightly,” said Amali Tower, a 2009 SIPA graduate, as reported by NBC News. Tower emphasized her personal experience as an immigrant, having fought for her master’s degree at Columbia, and explained that her decision to protest stemmed from a desire to stand with the students, Palestinians, and immigrants affected by what she sees as unjust actions.

Khalil’s legal team confirmed he is currently being held in a Louisiana detention facility. The Trump administration defended his arrest, claiming his involvement in pro-Palestinian protests on campus posed a ‘threat’ to US foreign policy. Secretary of State Marco Rubio remarked that the detention was just the beginning of a broader effort to target student activists engaged in similar protests.

Armstrong’s Resignation

The protest also came amidst significant leadership turmoil at Columbia University. On the same day, it was announced that the university’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, had stepped down to return to her role at Columbia’s Irving Medical Center. 

Armstrong’s resignation followed negotiations between the university and the Trump administration regarding federal funding. She has been replaced by Claire Shipman, co-chair of Columbia’s Board of Trustees. Shipman, a former White House correspondent, is the university’s third president in under a year, leading some protesters to express skepticism about the university’s leadership. 

“It’s another figurehead that the Board of Trustees is going to use to do their bidding,” said Hannah, a 2024 alumna who participated in the protest.

Hannah, who also tore up her diploma, criticized previous university leaders, accusing them of not listening to students but rather serving the interests of the Board of Trustees. She also voiced her frustration with the university’s handling of the pro-Palestinian protests and its failure to support those involved. “I’m here today because I’m Jewish, and my Jewish beliefs tell me to show up for communities that are being oppressed,” she said, as quoted by NBC News.

Crackdowns 

This protest and Khalil’s detention reflect a larger crackdown on pro-Palestinian activists, as several other foreign-born students from universities like Tufts, Georgetown, and the University of Minnesota have also been detained.

As Columbia continues to deal with fallout from the situation, students are voicing concerns about the future direction of the university. Jasmine Sarryeh, a current SIPA student and friend of Khalil, described the atmosphere on campus as increasingly hostile. “Students are terrified to set foot on campus,” Sarryeh explained, expressing how Khalil’s arrest has deeply affected her and many of her peers. 

She criticized the university for failing to protect its students’ constitutional rights to freedom of speech and assembly, warning that the university is “headed in a really dangerous direction” if it doesn’t start supporting protesters and standing up for their rights.

(NBC, PC, Al-Mayadeen)