- A large pro-Palestinian crowd gathered near Columbus Circle on Friday evening Rally organized by Within Our Lifetime vowing to ‘flood Manhattan’
- At Columbus Circle, the crowd remained largely peaceful, but one group then moved toward Grand Central Station
- Masked men were seen trying to kick in the station’s doors, which had been locked to avoid a confrontation: the glass shattered but did not shatter
A crowd of masked pro-Palestinian protesters tried to storm Grand Central Station on Friday evening, kicking in the door and shattering the glass but failing to make it into the closed hall.
As a person with a bull’s horn chanted “We are all Palestinians,” a handful of men tried to break down the doors.
New York police warned people to avoid the area.
Earlier on Friday, the Israeli flag was burned by the crowd at Columbus Circle. The activists called for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and condemned “Genocide Joe” for not supporting their demands.
Biden and his team called for “humanitarian pauses” to allow the delivery of aid to Gaza and the evacuation of the seriously injured. But they are refusing to comply with growing calls for a ceasefire, arguing that a ceasefire would mean a permanent end to hostilities – impossible, they say, as long as Hamas remains in power.
Friday’s protest was organized by the group Within Our Lifetime under the slogan “Flooding Manhattan for Gaza,” and they marched with a banner that read “Honor the Martyrs of Palestine.”
Demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and held signs accusing Israel and Joe Biden of genocide. The inscription read: “Genocide Joe must go.”
NYPD officers are seen confronting some of the protesters outside Grand Central Station
Pro-Palestine protesters burned the Israeli flag in New York City on Friday evening
Numerous NYPD officers were stationed throughout the city during the protests
A woman is seen standing on the roof of a car during Friday’s protests in Manhattan
On Friday evening, a large crowd gathered at Columbus Circle demanding a ceasefire in Gaza
A Christian Dior store near Columbus Circle was covered in pro-Palestinian stickers.
The October 7 Hamas terrorist attack killed 1,200 Israelis. In response, Israel began bombing the Gaza Strip, killing 11,000 people.
Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, said on Friday that “far too many Palestinians have been killed” in Gaza – the latest sign that the Biden administration is increasingly frustrated with Israel’s tactics.
“Much more needs to be done to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian assistance reaches them,” Blinken said in a speech to the media in New Delhi after a diplomatic tour of Middle Eastern and Asian countries.
“Far too many Palestinians have been killed.” Far too many have suffered in the last few weeks.
“And we want to do everything possible to prevent harm to them and maximize the help they receive.”
Activists in New York City called for an end to the Israel-Hamas war on Friday evening
A protester is seen draped in the Palestinian flag in Manhattan on Friday evening
The demonstrators brought a screen to the construction site and pointed out the terrible number of journalists. So far, a total of 41 journalists have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war – 36 of them are Palestinian reporters killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip
A small child is seen among the protesters in Manhattan on Friday evening
The White House is aware that there is a lack of support in some sectors due to the apparent support for Israeli activities. The Biden administration is walking a fine line between supporting the Israeli government and demanding restraint in its response to the terrorist attack.
During his visit to Tel Aviv, Biden himself publicly called on the Israelis to learn from the USA’s mistakes after September 11th and not to be blinded by anger.
On Friday, several hundred people expressed their anger at the US position.
No arrests were reported as of 6:00 p.m. EST, but the NYPD wrote to use alternate routes.’