About 2,000 protesters gathered for a pro-Palestinian rally in Washington Square Park on Friday with a laundry list of demands, including calling for “permanent occupation” of Gaza and the dismantling of the Israeli government.
The gathered crowd denounced Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Hamas-controlled territory, waving Palestinian flags and holding signs bearing messages such as “Free Palestine,” “Cease fire now” and “Israel considers killing babies collateral damage.”
Protesters called on people to rebel against Black Friday by disrupting it and boycotting companies that support Israel. Chants from the crowd included, “1, 2, 3, 4, No more jobs. 5, 6, 7, 8, Israel is a racist state,” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which the Anti-Defamation League classifies as antisemitic slogans.
The gathering included members of various organizations, such as the Palestinian Youth Movement, National Students for Justice in Palestine, People’s Forum, Nodutdol, Al-Awda-NY, Palestinian American Community Center (PACC) – NJ, the ANSWER coalition and the International People’s Assembly.
Manolo De Los Santos, a member of The People’s Forum, told The Post that his group showed up at the protest because they “refused to be silenced,” and held Israel responsible for the war.
About 2,000 protesters gathered for a pro-Palestinian rally in Washington Square Park Friday.Stephen Yang People waved Palestinian flags and held signs bearing messages such as “Free Palestine,” “Cease fire now” and “Israel thinks killing babies is collateral damage.” Stephen Yang
“This war did not start on October 7. This war started when the state of Israel was imposed on the people of the Arab world,” he said.
“We want a permanent ceasefire, a permanent end to the occupation. We closed it in New York City today.”
A member of the Palestinian Youth Movement who would only identify himself as Samar said today’s march and rally was just the beginning.
The gathering included many pro-Palestinian organizations.Stephen Yang
“We are firmly committed, and every day we will double, we will triple, we will quadruple that commitment until Palestine is free,” he said.
Layan Fuleihan, education director of The People’s Forum, criticized the White House for its unwavering support for Israel, which President Biden has promised to continue.
“We are the White House’s worst nightmare. They dream nothing but blood and violence and exploitation of dignified people all over the world,” he said.
Manolo De Los Santos, a member of The People’s Forum, told The Post that his group showed up at the protest because they “refused to be silenced.”Stephen Yang Protesters criticized the White House for its unwavering support for Israel.Stephen Yang
“We will continue to fight, continue to raise our voices, until our demands are met. The White House is the instrument of the Zionists, they are their puppets, their military bases, their corporate best friends, their conspirators all gathered and orchestrated the massacre of 14,000 beautiful Palestinians.”
He also referenced the protesters who disrupted the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade by dousing themselves in fake blood and sticking their hands up Sixth Avenue Thursday.
“They can’t fool us with their Thanksgiving meal and their upcoming holiday celebration. On Thanksgiving, the Macy’s parade was stopped several times. There was no genocide then, and there is no genocide now.”
On the fringes of the rally, a small counter-protest of about a dozen people held Israeli flags while chanting the names of hostages kidnapped by Hamas terrorists and chanting, “Bring them home.”
The group was sometimes heckled by pro-Palestinian protesters, who taunted them by shouting, “Your bombs killed them” and reading the names of Palestinian children who had been killed since October 7.
Opposing groups sometimes shout at each other, as a police wall separates them. Pro-Palestinian protesters shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) while those supporting Israel chanted, “Long live Israel” and sang in Hebrew.
A small counter-protest of about a dozen people held Israeli flags while calling out the names of hostages kidnapped by Hamas terrorists and chanting, “Bring them home.”Stephen Yang
One protester shouted at the pro-Israel crowd, “Go back to Poland” but declined to speak to The Post about what he meant.
Pro-Palestinian factions broke into Sixth Avenue, chanting “Intifada, intifada, long live intifada” and echoing the chants of earlier rallies.
The group stopped in front of the Macy’s on Broadway and 34th Street, whose entrance was lined with police, chanting, “While you shop, bombs fall,” “Shut up” and “You’ll see you’ll see, Palestine will be free.”
Some pro-Israel protesters chanted “Long live Israel.” Stephen Yang
Friday’s Manhattan rally comes amid heightened global scrutiny of Israel’s war against Hamas, which began Oct. 7 after a surprise rocket attack that killed 1,200 Israeli civilians.
The terrorist group also seized about 230 hostages, about two dozen of whom were released Friday under the terms of a temporary ceasefire agreement between the two sides.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
