(Julianna Frieman, Headline USA) Anti-Israel protesters wreaked havoc on New York City on Monday as they celebrated the anniversary of Islamic terror group Hamas’s deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attack.
Crowds of keffiyeh-clad crusaders created chaos on the streets of Manhattan, video posted on X by independent journalist Brendan Gutenschwager showed.
Demonstrators carry a large Palestinian flag during today’s march in New York pic.twitter.com/0VEUrzpM4W
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) October 7, 2024
Pro-Palestine demonstrators marched in a large mass while chanting slogans and waving Palestinian flags and another that read, “Long Live October 7th.”
“Long Live October 7th” reads flag at today’s pro-Palestine protest in New York pic.twitter.com/YrbSuPFX7S
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) October 7, 2024
The protests seemed oriented not only on the events of the previous year, but also the month ahead, directed at putting pressure on influencing the U.S. political discourse with slightly less than a month to go before the Nov. 5 general election.
Like the early-summer campus riots that led many to rethink the policies being promoted by higher-education instututions, civil unrest among Hamas supporters in the U.S. could be a particularly unwelcome development for Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign as she seeks to walk a delicate like to avoid offending the Left’s various identity politics constituencies.
In New York, where the Jews constitute an estimated 10% of the population, a Trump electoral win would prove catastrophic. Other battleground states—including Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and North Carolina—have growing Muslim populations, however, that may exert a significant impact by not voting, or switching their allegiance altogether.
“The Democratic Party is very afraid because they will face consequences for carrying out a genocide,” Nerdeen Kiswasni, protest organizer and founder of pro-Palestine group Within Our Lifetime, spoke to an energized crowd.
“The Democratic Party is very afraid, because they will face consequences for carrying out a genocide” Within Our Lifetime founder Nerdeen Kiswani speaking at today’s pro-Palestine protest in New York pic.twitter.com/ELBW7kNpIU
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) October 7, 2024
One group of agitators gathered around a vehicle, which they reportedly spat on while harassing the driver.
Multiple protesters spit on a car during a confrontation with a driver here in New York pic.twitter.com/WRJah539CC
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) October 7, 2024
“You dumb b***h! F**k you!” one male protester yelled at the driver, whose window was rolled up.
“Are you scared now? What happened to the f**king—” a female protester shouted as the man continued to curse.
“Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!” A woman was heard shouting. “Yeah, I love Hamas!”
“Yeah! Open your window, dummy!” another woman chimed in. “Open your windows now, who’s here?”
Officers arrested several individuals at the demonstration, the New York City Police Department said.
The march spanned Wall Street, City Hall, Washington Square, Union Square, Times Square and Grand Central before the crowd accumulated at Madison Square Park, WABC reported.
Chaotic scene in New York as police make multiple arrests during today’s pro-Palestine protest pic.twitter.com/QMEbahIoD6
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) October 7, 2024
Pro-Israel counter-protesters were also present among the demonstration, according to the outlet. Video showed pro-Israel protesters chant “Death to Hamas” next to pro-Palestine demonstrators.
Pro-Israel demonstrators chant “Death to Hamas” next to pro-Palestine demonstrators in New York pic.twitter.com/8duzUB6vXl
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) October 7, 2024
“You’re all terrorist lovers, all of you. You’re not American,” one man said in a confrontation with pro-Palestine protesters, video showed.
“You’re all terrorist lovers, all of you. You’re not American” A man says to pro-Palestine protesters this afternoon in New York pic.twitter.com/QlTYenz5rv
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) October 7, 2024
One mob of anti-Israel protesters chanted, “Yemen, Yemen, make us proud. Turn another ship around,” as they made their way through Manhattan.
"Yemen, Yemen, make us proud, turn another ship around" protesters chant as they march through Manhattan pic.twitter.com/P1rfaZzuk5
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) October 7, 2024
Kiswani criticized Harris’s Saturday announcement of $157 million in aid for Lebanon, telling her to “keep your money here.”
The pro-Palestine protest organizer told the Democratic nominee to use the money for American “victims” instead.
The people of Lebanon are facing an increasingly dire humanitarian situation. I am concerned about the security and well-being of civilians suffering in Lebanon and will continue working to help meet the needs of all civilians there.
To that end, the United States will provide…
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) October 5, 2024
“Kamala just announced more money being sent to Lebanon in the form of aid, we don’t want your aid. Keep your money here. You guys have enough victims here, we don’t want American money, keep your money. Don’t send the bombs that kill our people, and we don’t need your money”… pic.twitter.com/twPVK3fDj5
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) October 8, 2024
“You guys have enough victims here, we don’t want American money, keep your money,” Kiswani urged. “Don’t send the bombs that kill our people, and we don’t need your money.”
Approximately 1,200 men, women and children—including 46 Americans—were killed by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. The radical terrorists took 254 people hostage as well, including 12 Americans, according to a U.S. State Department press statement issued on the one-year anniversary of the attack.
Julianna Frieman is a freelance writer also published by the Daily Caller and The Federalist. Follow her on Twitter at @JuliannaFrieman.
