A wave of solidarity is sweeping across American campuses as students and academics rally against what many are calling a targeted campaign to silence pro-Palestinian voices. Demonstrations erupted at Georgetown, Columbia, and Tufts universities, condemning the arrest of three scholars—Bidar Khan Suri, Mahmoud Khalil, and Rumeysa Ozturk—whose only offence appears to be their support for Palestinian rights.

Dr Bidar Khan Suri, a researcher at Georgetown, remains in detention in Texas under dire conditions, reportedly allowed only minimal outdoor access. Despite this, he is said to be sharing messages of peace inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia graduate student, was arrested after leading campus protests exposing Israel’s actions in Gaza. Turkish PhD candidate Rumeysa Ozturk faces similar repression at Tufts. None of the three have been formally charged.

These arrests have sparked fears among international scholars, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds. “If they can do this to an academic, they can do it to any of us,” warned Georgetown professor Dr Elliott Colla, underscoring the climate of fear that now grips university campuses.

Over 3,100 individuals—mostly students and faculty—have been detained across more than 50 campuses since protests began at Columbia. This clampdown has drawn fierce criticism from civil rights advocates, who argue that the United States is punishing moral clarity in the face of genocide.

Yet the voices calling for justice grow louder each Monday, as demonstrations continue to demand the release of the detained and an end to the criminalisation of Palestinian solidarity. From lecture halls to detention centres, the message resounds: truth cannot be caged.