NEW YORK CITY: Thousands of protesters gathered outside the courthouse in the capital of the US state of New York to demand the release of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil.
According to Al Jazeera, a large number of protesters gathered outside the Manhattan federal courthouse where Mahmoud Khalil was being held for the first time since his arrest and is facing deportation for his active role in supporting Palestine.
The protesters chanted slogans demanding the release of Mahmoud Khalil and said, “Release Mahmoud Khalil now.”
During a brief hearing in court, Mahmoud Khalil’s lawyer, Ramzi Qasim, said that his client was only allowed one call from his detention center to consult with his legal team and that he was being held in the southern part of the state of Louisiana.
The lawyer said that the call with Mahmoud Khalil was also not allowed to be completed and was abruptly cut off. This call was being recorded and monitored by the government.
Judge Jesse Foreman ordered that Mahmoud Khalil and his lawyers be allowed to speak on Wednesday and Thursday and that the government not interfere.
Earlier, Judge Jesse Foreman had temporarily suspended orders to deport Mahmoud Khalil from the United States.
It should be noted that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Mahmoud Khalil, 29, a permanent resident of the United States and a graduate of Columbia University, at his home in New York City.
ICE officials had said that they planned to revoke Mahmoud Khalil’s green card with the blessing of the US State Department.
Mahmoud Khalil was among the leading students who protested at Columbia University in favor of the Palestinians during the Gaza war and demanded that Israel be kept out of the Gaza war.
