Protesters storm Trump Tower, nearly 100 arrests confirmed

Hundreds of activists belonging to a pacifist Jewish group organized a sit-in at the Trump Tower in New York. Their goal: to demand the immediate release of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, who is detained in the United States.

Demonstrators occupied the lobby of Donald Trump’s iconic skyscraper, holding signs and chanting slogans denouncing the arrest of Khalil.

For several hours, the activists refused to leave the premises, despite the demands of the security officers.

Ultimately, the New York police intervened to disperse the crowd. One by one, the protesters were evacuated from the Trump Tower. The operation took place without violence, but in an atmosphere of high tension. At the time of writing these lines, no less than 100 arrests had been confirmed.

The sit-in aimed to denounce the controversial arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a defender of Palestinian rights who was arrested on March 8 at his home on the Columbia campus by ICE, in the presence of his eight-month pregnant wife.

According to his lawyers, Khalil was apprehended under vague accusations related to suspicions of links with organizations considered extremist, and his relatives denounce a political arrest.

His incarceration triggered a wave of outrage among human rights activists. 

Several international organizations have demanded explanations and called for his immediate release, considering that his arrest was unjustified.

Anger has grown over the days, fueled by the lack of response from American authorities. Petitions have circulated, gatherings have been organized in several major cities, and pressure on the government has continued to increase. 

The issue is escalating, exposing the rising tensions surrounding the Palestinian situation in the United States and the growing power of solidarity movements on an international scale. 

The situation has worsened with the threat of expulsion of Mahmoud Khalil by the American authorities, a decision that is sparking increasing outrage among his supporters and human rights defenders.