Columbia alumni rip up diplomas to protest activist Mahmoud Khalil’s arrest

Group of Sipa graduates demonstrate against government’s jailing of graduate student, who spoke up for Palestinians

A handful of alumni from Columbia University’s school of international and public affairs (Sipa) ripped their diplomas in a show of protest against the federal government’s jailing of graduate student Mahmoud Khalil’s over his activism for Palestinians.

On Saturday, instead of participating in the university’s annual Sipa alumni day, a few dozen alumni and students gathered outside campus as part of a protest organized by Sipa’s and Barnard Alumni for Palestine groups.