Access to busy NYC airport's international terminal restricted due to pro-Palestinian protest

NEW YORK — Access to a busy terminal at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport was restricted Monday as pro-Palestinian protesters converged on the airport for the second time in a week.

Videos posted online show heavy traffic and a slow-moving line of cars, some flying Palestinian flags and with text on the windows such as “Stop the Genocide.” Police sent a line of cars around a checkpoint. Protesters also planned to take public transportation to the airport in Queens, New York.

The New Year's action was the latest in a series of protests across the country calling for a ceasefire since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out on October 7. Last Wednesday, activists brought traffic to a standstill on a highway leading to JFK for about 20 minutes. Protesters closed a major artery leading to Los Angeles International Airport on the same day.

Access to JFK's Terminal 4 was temporarily limited Monday afternoon to ticketed passengers, employees and people with what authorities consider a valid reason for being there, such as picking up passengers, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airports in the region. .

Similarly, access to AirTrain was temporarily limited to ticketed passengers and employees.

“The Port Authority, in coordination with our local, state and federal partners, has implemented safety and security measures to ensure an uninterrupted travel experience at JFK,” Port Authority spokesman Seth Stein said in an email.

The Port Authorities of New York and New Jersey reported no arrests.

City officials had warned people flying out of JFK on Monday, a busy travel day, to get to the airport early because of the protests.

Police said the caravan of cars later headed to protest outside LaGuardia Airport, which is also in Queens.