Protesting the jailing of a fellow activist, several alumni from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA)estroyed their diplomas. This act was organized by Sipa’s and Barnard Alumni for Palestine groups. The activists held a rally on March 29th to demand justice for Mahmoud Khalil, their colleague, who is a Columbia graduate student. Khalil was arrested for his pro-Palestinian activities. The rally called out the SIPA administration for their collaboration with law enforcement over protecting students.

Alumnus Amali Tower, a 2009 SIPA graduate, ripped her diploma and spoke about her stance against the charity. Another student named Hannah, a Jewish activist, also ripped her diploma, stating her commitment to fighting oppression irrespective of her religion. Jasmine Sarryeh, a current student and Khalil’s friend, expressed fear of stepping on campus, noting the disappearing of colleagues due to similar circumstances.

This protest comes amid a wider campaign of detaining students in the US due to their support for Palestinians. Khalil, a permanent resident, was arrested at a time his wife was eight months pregnant. Badar Khan Suri, a post-doctoral student at Georgetown University, was detained by the DHS due to alleged ties to Hamas. Yunseo Chung, a Columbia University student, had her permanent residency revoked following her participation in anti-war demonstrations. A lawsuit was filed against the Trump administration, alleging the misuse of “immigration enforcement as a bludgeon to suppress speech that they dislike”, with a federal judge order blocking her deportation.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/30/columbia-alumni-diplomas-mahmoud-khalil