- Protesters targeted the newspaper as part of a rally dubbed the ‘Thankstrike for Gaza and Indigenous Resistance Everywhere’.
- At least five protesters were arrested by the NYPD during the march
- About 30 protesters earlier stopped the parade along Sixth Avenue
Anti-Israel protesters accused the New York Times of genocide as they gathered outside its offices Thursday, just hours after pro-Palestinian protesters crashed the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.
Angry demonstrators targeted the newspaper as part of a rally organizers called “Thankstaking for Gaza and Indigenous Resistance Everywhere.”
The demonstrators targeted the New York Times as they walked past its headquarters, chanting, “Every time the media lies, a neighborhood in Gaza dies” and “New York Times, you can’t hide.” We accuse you of genocide.”
As they passed Times Square, they shouted at tourists, “While you’re shopping, bombs are falling.”
According to multiple reports, at least five protesters were arrested by the NYPD as the march dispersed near Bryant Park.
Anti-Israel protesters accused the New York Times of genocide as they gathered outside its offices on Thursday
At least five protesters were arrested as the march dispersed near Bryant Park
Talia Jane, a participant at the rally, described the march as a “demonstration for Gaza and against settler colonialism.”
Jane added that the NYT was targeted for its “racist and biased reporting.”
The protesters also defaced the Stephen Schwarzman Public Library Building in New York with fake blood and messages such as “you are funding genocide.”
One of the protesters said, “Schwarzman is Blackstone’s billionaire CEO and a former Trump advisor who is fervently pro-Israel and has even opened a Blackstone office in Tel Aviv.
The meeting took place hours after the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade was hit by pro-Palestinian protests amid heightened tensions over the Middle East crisis.
A group of activists disrupted the parade by jumping over barricades to block the route and unveiling a large “Free Palestine” banner.
About 30 protesters stopped the parade along Sixth Avenue, and reports suggested some may have glued themselves to the road. The NYPD told DailyMail.com that “several” protesters had been taken into custody, with the exact number of people arrested unclear.
Loud cheers rang out from the crowd as the white overall-clad protesters poured fake blood on themselves and held up the parade in front of thousands of people as they appeared to try to link the Middle East crisis to climate change, shouting: ‘Liberation for Palestine. and climate.’
Amid heightened political tensions, NYPD officers were out and about, with officials saying they had increased “robust” security along the route compared to previous years.
The New England Native American float sparked outrage earlier in the morning when a performer held up a Palestinian flag as the annual spectacle passed through Midtown Manhattan.
Several protesters were taken into custody after marring the family event with political outbursts over the Middle East crisis
Pro-Palestinian protesters jumped the barricade and brought the parade to a halt Thursday morning about two hours after the procession got underway.
Detroit’s Thanksgiving festivities were also targeted, with a large contingent of pro-Palestinian activists descending on the city.
NYPD Police Commissioner Edward Caban acknowledged the increase in security when he spoke to NBC before the parade began, saying he was “working with our federal, state and local partners to ensure everything is safe.”
While insisting there were “no specific or credible threats to New York City or the parade in general,” the commissioner said the entire NYPD has been “on high alert since October 7.”
“We encourage all families to come out and enjoy the day,” he added, noting that this year’s event is his first as the city’s police chief.
The disruption came after Joe and Jill Biden called parade host Al Roker to wish the country a happy Thanksgiving, with the president saying the fun event was a chance for the country to bridge divisions.
“We need to come together, we may have different political views, but we have one vision. We are the greatest nation in the world,” Biden said, as the First Lady today called on Americans to “do something nice for someone else.”