Pro-Palestine protesters mount Wall Street’s famous Charging Bull and challenge NYPD officers to punch them as they crash Kathy Hochul event
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters flooded the streets of Lower Manhattan and clashed with police, while some climbed atop Wall Street’s famous Charging Bull statue and defaced it with “death to Israel.”
On Thursday evening, pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in Union Square before heading to the Financial District to condemn US military aid to Israel. The “Emergency Action For Gaza” rally targeted Governor Kathy Hochul of New York as she delivered remarks at a Wall Street restaurant.
Video footage captured the chaotic scene, as protesters were seen climbing atop the Charging Bull statue and defacing it with the message “Death to Israel,” using a black marker to etch the graffiti behind the bull’s ear.
Photos shared on social media showed the graffiti ‘Free Palestine’ on his face.
Amid the chaos, protesters were seen brazenly challenging police officers, with one woman in a hijab repeatedly urging the police officers to “hit me.”
As the protest moved toward City Hall, eight protesters were issued summonses for disorderly conduct. At least one person is charged with resisting arrest and obstructing government administration.
Video footage captured the chaotic scene, as protesters were seen climbing atop the Charging Bull statue and defacing it with the message “Death to Israel,” using a black marker to etch the graffiti behind the bull’s ear.
Photos shared on social media showed the graffiti ‘Free Palestine’ on his face
As the protest moved toward City Hall, eight protesters were issued summonses for disorderly conduct. One of them is charged with resisting arrest and obstructing government administration
Amid the chaos, protesters witnessed brutal challenges to police officers, with a woman in a hijab repeatedly urging the police officers to ‘hit me’
They marched toward Cipriani Wall Street, where Governor Hochul was expected. At least one protester was arrested near Cipriani.
Some protesters ignored police orders to clear the streets and walk on the sidewalks, falling to the ground and being restrained by officers before being taken away in police vans.
Nerdeen Kiswani, organizer of Within Our Lifetime, addressed the crowd outside Cipriani.
Kiswani criticized Governor Hochul for her previous comments expressing support for actions against Gaza, as reported by Gaza Strip New York Times.
“Children are starting to die – they died from the bombs and bullets that Israel dropped on them – but now they are dying of hunger,” Kiswani said.
At least one person is charged with resisting arrest and obstructing government administration
On Thursday evening, pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in Union Square before heading to the Financial District to condemn US military aid to Israel.
Police officers detain some demonstrators during the protest of pro-Palestinian demonstrators condemning Israel
The ‘Emergency Action For Gaza’ rally targeted Governor Kathy Hochul of New York when she made comments at a Wall Street restaurant
Palestinian protesters condemned Israeli attacks in Gaza and directed their anger at US President Joe Biden, chanting: ‘Genocide Joe must go’
Protesters chanted slogans condemning Hochul and President Biden. “Kathy Hochul, you can’t hide, you support genocide,” they shouted.
Earlier, demonstrators in Union Square condemned Israeli aggression and highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Protesters wearing kiffeyas turned their anger on President Biden, chanting, “Genocide Joe must go.”
The rally organizers symbolized the food shortage in Gaza by throwing flour on the ground.
Protesters also honored the recent self-immolation of Aaron Bushnell, who burned himself alive to protest Israel, with some signs reading “RIP Aaron Bushnell.”
“Some may see his act of self-immolation as an extreme political act,” Kiswani said. “But he himself said that it is not extreme at all compared to what the people of Gaza have had to endure.”
Members of the New York Police Department arrest pro-Palestinian protesters during a march near City Hall
The protest came after Hamas blamed Israel when more than 100 Palestinians were reportedly killed and at least 700 injured while waiting for aid trucks in Gaza.
Israel said many of the dead were trampled in a chaotic food aid rush in Gaza City and that its forces only fired when they felt threatened by the crowds.
Hamas authorities in Gaza say 112 Palestinians were killed on Thursday after Israeli forces opened fire during an aid delivery.
An Israeli source acknowledged that the army had opened fire on the crowd, adding that the soldiers believed the civilians “posed a threat.” The. The IDF admitted to causing no more than ten casualties.
Now, in the wake of the violence, the EU and several countries, including Germany and France, have come together to pressure Israel to investigate the bloody incident.
The EU’s two top chiefs said on Friday they were “shocked” and “deeply disturbed” by the deaths of more than 100 Palestinians after Israeli forces opened fire during an aid delivery, and demanded an investigation.
Shortly after Michel and von der Leyen expressed their outrage, the European Commission announced it would increase aid funding for the Palestinians.
The protest came after Hamas blamed Israel when more than 100 Palestinians were reportedly killed and at least 700 injured while waiting for aid trucks in Gaza.
Aerial photos released by the IDF claim to show the scene as Palestinians tried to get food from aid trucks in Gaza
Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said the EU “will pay 50 million euros to UNRWA in 2024 and increase emergency aid to the Palestinians by 68 million euros.”
UNRWA is the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. Funding from international partners was jeopardized after Israel accused some of its personnel of taking part in Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israeli communities near Gaza.
The EU had said it would review, but not suspend, UNRWA funding in light of the Israeli allegations.