Nearly 100 people have been arrested after staging a sit-in at Trump Tower in New York City Thursday, the NYPD said.
It started at around 11:30 a.m. Thursday.
According to police, roughly 150 people dressed in civilian clothes entered Trump Tower just before noon. Once inside, they removed their shirts to reveal red t-shirts with protest pro-Palestinian slogans on it and staged a sit-in.
“Within 10 minutes, we started responding here from the police department. Within 40 minutes, 50 minutes, we started making arrests. We ended up making 98 arrests of people trespassing, obstructing governmental administration in this building,” NYPD Chief of Department John Chell said. “We secured this building, we secured this perimeter, and we removed people who were under arrest. I am very happy with the professionalism that we showed today. Quite frankly, there was no damaged property, no injuries, and we cleared this up within two hours – a big task for the NYPD.”
Video from inside the building shows a group went to the public area inside the building and then began chanting “Free Mahmoud,” a reference to pro-Palestinian Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil, who was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement over the weekend.
Members of the NYPD were on the scene and could be seen escorting several of the protesters out in zip-tie handcuffs.
Protest organizers – the group Jewish Voice for Peace – said hundreds of people were involved in a sit-in inside the building to protest Khalil’s detention, and that they were wearing shirts that said “Not in Our Name.” They also carried banners into the lobby. The organizers said that actor Debra Winger is among those protesting.
Video shows several of the protesters sitting in the lobby, clapping and chanting “Free Palestine.”
Video from Chopper 2 shows a number of protesters wearing red t-shirts exiting Trump Tower and gathering on the corner of 59th Street and Fifth Avenue.
An NYPD official told the Associated Press that Mayor Eric Adams is aware of the situation.
Who is Mahmoud Khalil?
Khalil is a pro-Palestinian activist who was involved in demonstrations at Columbia University, where he was a grad student. His arrest by ICE agents in New York City on Saturday – and his subsequent transfer to Louisiana to be held pending a hearing on whether or not he can be deported – set off a high-profile legal battle and protests.
Check back soon for more information on this developing story.