Actor Alec Baldwin crossed paths with a pro-Palestinian protest in New York City on Monday and was filmed in a heated confrontation with a protester that culminated in him being taken away by New York police.
A video of the incident shows the actor speaking to two or three protesters. Baldwin can be heard asking, “Who are you in? They work for Hollywood; Do you condemn Israel?”
Actor Alec Baldwin got into a confrontation with a pro-Palestinian protester during a rally in midtown Manhattan this evening. Baldwin was just walking through the area. @NBCNewYork #nbc4ny @AlecBaldwin #alecbaldwin #nyc #nbcnews pic.twitter.com/epewydLSJS
– Jesse Hamilton (@JesseJHamilton) December 18, 2023
Baldwin replied, “You’ve already decided on every question, right?” I'm in Hollywood's pockets, you said? You ask stupid questions. Ask me a smart question! Ask a smart question!” Then he started pushing on the protester.
Several police officers surrounded Baldwin as the protester yelled, “F*** yourself” and “Why did you even come here?” Baldwin then yelled back, “Shut up!” as he was led away.
Baldwin had been walking past the demonstration near West 29th Street when protesters spotted him and stormed toward him, accusing him of supporting Israel. Pro-Palestinian protesters take part in the “Flood Brooklyn for Gaza” demonstration as the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas continues in New York, United States, October 28, 2023. (Source: CAITLIN OCHS/Portal)
According to the New York Post, when asked if he condemned Israel, Baldwin replied, “No, I support peace for Gaza.” Baldwin was not involved in the protest in any way and had volunteered to teach an acting class. Advertising
Reaction of the demonstrators
One of the main organizers of the pro-Palestinian protests in New York City, Nerdeen Kiswani, can be seen in the background of the video. She founded the organization Within Our Lifetime, notorious for its “Globalize the Intifada” chants.
She posted a video of the incident on her Instagram with the caption: “We really hit Alec Baldwin at today's march because he refused to condemn Israel for the killing of over 25,000 Palestinians, including at least 8,000 Palestinian children!”
“Killing people is obviously not a big deal for him since he had experience with it. I was just over it and wanted the media to get out of the way of the march and stop focusing on the most sensational thing of the moment like they usually do.”
The protests took place in Manhattan at Grand Central Station and Penn Station as part of a protest dubbed the “Global Strike for Gaza.”