by Karla Ciaglo
Protesters rally at the Connecticut State Capitol building on March 21, 2025. Credit: Karla Ciaglo / CTNewsJunkie
HARTFORD, CT — More than 200 demonstrators marched through the streets of Hartford Friday afternoon calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, divestment from military contractors, and justice for Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian-American graduate student and activist from Columbia University who is facing deportation.
Many of those who spoke during the event identified themselves only by first name, citing concerns about being targeted for their activism or associated publicly with Palestinian solidarity efforts. Organizers distributed face masks and printed flyers about protester rights, with volunteer stewards in green vests encouraging participants to protect their identities, avoid interaction with law enforcement, and walk in pairs.
“We are in dangerous times,” said a speaker who identified himself only as Yazeed. “We are seeing people disappear, like Mahmoud Khalil, and we are still dealing with the fallout of the Trump administration’s deportation machine.”
The march began outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building on Main Street and moved through the city, ending at the Connecticut State Capitol. Demonstrators paused along the route to hear speeches and join in chants, waving Palestinian flags and holding handmade signs.
Protesters rally at the Connecticut State Capitol building on March 21, 2025. Credit: Karla Ciaglo / CTNewsJunkie
Hartford police closed intersections and allowed participants access to the Capitol steps. The event remained peaceful throughout, with police reporting no arrests.
Despite fears of being identified, many attendees said they felt compelled to participate. The tone was one of urgency, frustration, and collective support—particularly for the people of Gaza and for Khalil.
Khalil, a dual Palestinian-American citizen and a graduate student at Columbia University’s School of Social Work known for his pro-Palestinian activism, was taken into custody by ICE from his university-owned apartment without any accusations of criminal activity. Khalil is a permanent resident with a green card and is the first publicly known arrest relating to the Trump administration’s effort to tighten control of student activism.
Protesters rally outside the federal government offices on Main Street in Hartford, CT on March 21, 2025. Credit: Donald Eng / CT News Junkie
Protesters rally outside the federal government offices on Main Street in Hartford, CT, on March 21, 2025. Credit: Donald Eng / CT News Junkie
“Senator (Chris) Murphy’s Twitter video condemning the abduction of Mahmoud Khalil is not enough,” Yazeed said, referencing a social media post by Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy explaining Khalil’s disappearance. “We need tangible pushback.”
Francesca, who also used only her first name, addressed the crowd at a roundabout midway through the route.
“What they’re doing is psychological warfare,” she said. “It’s meant to make us scared. It’s meant to turn us into cowards. We need to look for inspiration to the Palestinian resistance.”
The protest was organized through social media by CT Students for Palestine and the CT Palestine Solidarity Coalition, with support from Hartford Deportation Defense, Jewish Voice for Peace–New Haven, the Hartford Jewish Organizing Collective, and American Muslims for Palestine–Connecticut.
Protesters rally outside the federal government offices in Hartford, CT, on March 21, 2025. Credit: Donald Eng / CT News Junkie
Chants repeated throughout the march included “Free, free Palestine,” “Not another nickel, not another dime,” and “No more money for Israel’s crimes.” Protesters referenced the recent breakdown of a temporary cease-fire in Gaza, where more than 400 Palestinians were reportedly killed in resumed airstrikes.
According to Gaza health officials, over 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since October, many of them women and children.
“We are here for Gaza, for our communities, and for Mahmoud Khalil,” Francesca said. “And we will keep showing up.”
The demonstration also spotlighted Connecticut’s defense and financial ties to Israel. A speaker with the CT Palestine Solidarity Coalition noted that some of the country’s largest weapons manufacturers have subsidiaries in Connecticut and are fulfilling contracts with Israel.
Another speaker criticized the use of state pension funds to invest in Israeli bonds and called on State Treasurer Erick Russell and Governor Ned Lamont to divest.
The march concluded on the Capitol steps with a moment of silence for Gaza and for Khalil. It ended with the crowd chanting, “Shut it down.”
Participants said more actions are expected in the coming weeks.
Protesters rally at the Connecticut State Capitol building on March 21, 2025. Credit: Karla Ciaglo / CTNewsJunkie
EDITOR’S NOTE: The original version of this story included incorrect background information on Mahmoud Khalil in the first paragraph.