Columbia grads shred diplomas over Mahmoud Khalil arrest: ‘We are enraged’

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Columbia University grads shred diplomas in protest over school’s cooperation with Trump administration

On Saturday, March 29, 2025, a group of Columbia University graduates from the School of International and Public Affairs destroyed their diplomas after the school agreed to follow President Donald Trump’s orders to combat antisemitism. (FNTV)

Columbia University students and graduates gathered over the weekend to protest the school’s recent acquiescence to the Trump administration’s demands to combat antisemitism at the school, and the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian ringleader on campus. 

During the protests, several graduate students from the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) shredded their own diplomas. 

“SIPA and Columbia are working against the incredible efforts their students are making to envision a world where Palestinians can enjoy their full human, civil and national rights,” one of the protesters said before tearing her diploma in half. “SIPA is not proud, we are enraged. We will continue to rage at this institution until Mahmoud Khalil is free.”

ICE AGENTS ARREST ANTI-ISRAEL ACTIVIST WHO LED PROTESTS ON COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY FOR MONTHS 

A Columbia University graduate tears up her degree during a protest on Saturday, March 29, 2025. (FNTV)

Another protester announced that she was “renouncing” her degree, before destroying her diploma.

Several other protesters spoke briefly before following suit. 

A Columbia University graduate speaks before tearing up her degree during a protest on Saturday, March 29, 2025. (FNTV)

“Free, free Palestine,” chants echoed during the protest. 

The rally took place during Columbia’s Alumni Day celebration on Saturday.

“As the University has made clear, any disruptions to our academic mission, our classrooms or our educational spaces is unacceptable, and the University will enforce its policies and rules as necessary,” a university spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “The University is aware of Saturday’s off-campus protest and the demonstration took place without incident.”

Khalil was picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in early March as part of a new effort by the Trump administration to revoke the green cards of Hamas sympathizers. 

People gather for a protest in support of Mahmoud Khalil in front of a federal courthouse in Newark, New Jersey, on March 28, 2025. (Stephanie Keith for Fox News Digital)

The Department of Homeland Security said that Khalil “led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.”

According to his LinkedIn, Khalil studied at Lebanese American University in Beirut before starting his master’s degree at Columbia in public administration in January 2023.

Mahmoud Khalil tells his wife to call his lawyer, Amy, while being arrested. (The Family of Mahmoud Khalil)

The Trump administration recently pulled $400 million in funding, citing the school’s failure to control pro-Palestinian violence on campus. The school also agreed to a Trump administration demand that student protesters be barred from disguising their faces with masks and other coverings. 

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY YIELDS TO TRUMP ADMIN DEMANDS OVER REVOKED $400M IN FEDERAL FUNDING

Katrina Armstrong, Columbia’s interim president, abandoned her post Friday amid the unrest.

WATCH: Interim Columbia president resigns amid White House funding fight

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“Dr. Armstrong accepted the role of interim president at a time of great uncertainty for the University and worked tirelessly to promote the interests of our community,” David J. Greenwald, chair of the board of trustees, said in a news release late Friday. “Katrina has always given her heart and soul to Columbia. We appreciate her service and look forward to her continued contributions to the University.”

Khalil is now fighting deportation in court. 

Fox News’ Diana Stancy, Jasmine Baehr and Alexis McAdams contributed to this report. 

Peter D’Abrosca joined Fox News Digital in 2025 after four years as a politics reporter at The Tennessee Star. 

He grew up in Rhode Island and is a graduate of Elon University. 

Follow Peter on X at @pmd_reports. Send story tips to peter.dabrosca@fox.com.