Two separate protests broke out on Columbia University’s campus on Wednesday—one in the afternoon at a university entrance gate near St. Paul’s Chapel and another in the evening at Earl Hall gate entrance, where students tied themselves up in a show of support for Mahmoud Khalil, an anti-Israel activist facing deportation.

A university spokesperson told JNS that the protesters who tied themselves to the St. Paul’s Chapel gates were removed for violating university rules.

“Individuals complied with the demand for identification but refused to leave the area,” the spokesperson stated. “The chains were removed by Columbia’s Public Safety and the individuals were escorted off campus.” (As part of a recent agreement with the Trump administration, Columbia has said that it will require protesters, upon request from safety officers, to remove masks or otherwise provide identification.)

“We will follow the process established in the rules of university conduct for enforcing violations,” the spokesperson told JNS. “Our focus is on preserving our core mission to teach, create and advance knowledge while ensuring a safe campus for our community.”

The New York City Police Department told JNS that no arrests were made.

The protest was organized by Columbia University’s chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, an anti-Israel group which alleged that Columbia’s trustees collaborated with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain Khalil, a recent Columbia graduate and leader of anti-Israel protests on campus, according to social-media posts.

Image - JNS/Anti-Israel protesters outside of Earl Hall Gate on 117th street and Broadway on Columbia University's campus, April 2, 2025. Photo by Vita Fellig.