Hundreds of activists rallied in St. Louis, Missouri, demanding the immediate release of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil and all international students detained by US authorities over their anti-war activism related to Gaza.
According to the Palestinian official news agency WAFA, the protest comes amid growing concern over a targeted crackdown on students for their political views, particularly those expressing opposition to the ongoing US-sponsored Israeli war in Gaza.
The protest comes at a time that more than 1,000 international students have had their visas revoked or their legal status changed in recent months—moves the protesters denounced as part of a systematic campaign to suppress free speech in American university campuses.
Protesters carried signs calling for an end to deportation policies and politically motivated detentions, vowing continued solidarity with those imprisoned until justice is served and all detainees are released.
