Mahmoud Khalil’s lawyer accuses feds of ‘retaliation’ for ‘completely unprecedented’ arrest of anti-Israel protester

Ramzi Kassem, an attorney representing Mahmoud Khalil, said after court that his client’s arrest was “completely unprecedented.”

“He was taken by US government agents in retaliation, essentially, for exercising his First Amendment rights, for speaking up in defense of Palestinians in Gaza and beyond, for being critical of the US government and of the Israeli government,” Kassem told reporters outside the Manhattan federal courthouse. “Those are the reasons why he was targeted.”

Kassem was given a chance to speak about the merits of the case or to request bail during the brief hearing, but declined.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.