Several thousand supporters of the Palestinian cause turned out in Brooklyn this weekend, causing traffic disruptions and arguments. The protests followed similar ones in London over the weekend, including individuals carrying Islamist banners.
The ‘Flood Brooklyn for Palestine’ protest included thousands of protesters Saturday in New York City. The participants shut down traffic in the Bay Ridge neighborhood and sparked arguments with members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD).
The police department ordered the protesters to disperse. Some of the pro-Palestine picketers set fires in the street.
The chaos continued after nightfall, with more than a dozen of the protesters arrested.
Local press stated that some of the pro-Palestinian members of the crowd threw eggs at the NYPD.
Chaos at a Pro-Palestinian protest in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn.
Cops are sparring with and arresting protesters. #HamasTerrorAttacks #ProHamas #protest @NYPDnews @BayRidge11209 #Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/fSkjiyqA4X— The Jewish Voice (@JewishVoice) October 22, 2023
The protesters carried a number of signs and Palestinian flags. One sign at the rally read, “Well done Israel. Hitler would be proud.”
“Say it loud, say it clear, we don’t want no Zionists here!” another chant went. The protesters also said that they would “free Palestine within our lifetime.”
Another common chant included that Palestine would be liberated from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean, which Jewish leaders and many conservatives see as a call for the destruction of Israel.
Another sign read “Zionism is genocide,” while another said, “Resistance is justified when people are occupied.”
A separate protest Friday in Manhattan blocked off traffic, resulting in 139 arrests. The rally was organized by the Democratic Socialists of America.
On Saturday, an estimated 100,000 people took part in a rally in London in support of the Palestinian causes. Some of the protesters had similar signs and chants. Several protesters could be seen with flags that bore the Islamic recitation of faith, which is often used by terrorist groups such as Hamas.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas continues into its third week and shows no signs of letting up, though two American hostages were freed by a Hamas-linked group.
The NYPD reported that it increased its coverage of Jewish sites in the city in case of potential threats.
