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7,000 Pro-Palestinian Protestors on Brooklyn Bridge Call for Israel’s Destruction as Anti-Jewish Sentiment Runs High
Edited by: Fern Sidman
In a stark demonstration that emanated a palpable animus and intense hostility towards Israel and the Jewish nation, at least 7000 pro-Palestine protesters gathered in Brooklyn on Saturday, shutting down the iconic Brooklyn Bridge during a march through the borough, as was reported by the New York Post. The event took a troubling turn as some participants openly celebrated the brutal Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7th, justifying the tragic loss of over 1400 innocent lives in what has been aptly termed Israel’s 9/11 disaster. Others have referred to the sadistic massacre as a modern day pogrom.
Due to Pro-Hamas protest the Brooklyn Bridge is closed in both directions. #nyc #BrooklynBridge #HamasislSIS https://t.co/EabTDsdNmQ pic.twitter.com/Zcdj8vZJh3
— The Jewish Voice (@JewishVoice) October 28, 2023
The “Flood Brooklyn for Gaza” march, a three-mile procession, began at 3 p.m. in front of the Brooklyn Museum in Crown Heights. The Post reported that the demonstration was a platform for people to express their seething hatred for Israel, with many holding signs bearing slogans such as “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will be Free” and “F—k Israel, Justice Palestine,” according to the Post report. However, the disturbing part of the protest lay in some individuals openly endorsing violence and terror as a means to achieve their goals.
Happening Now – Thousands of Pro-Palestine protesters have flooded into Union Square in Manhattan, Climbing statue and chanting “Free Palestine” @UnionSquareNY #nyc #ProtestForPalestine #Israel_under_attack #HamasislSIS #October7massacre pic.twitter.com/u1KJUsFh34
— The Jewish Voice (@JewishVoice) October 29, 2023
Dorian, a 24-year-old protester from Queens, expressed his belief that the “settler state of Israel must be taken down,” as was stated in the Post report.
Similarly, Marie Edward, a 67-year-old from Sunset Park, held a sign reading “Zionism is terrorism” and defended the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist massacre of Israelis, asserting that those who are occupied will inevitably fight back, the Post reported. Her statements raise ethical questions about the justification of violence against innocent civilians.”
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7000 Pro-Palestinian Protesters Take Over Brooklyn Bridge; Call for Elimination of Jewish State by Any Means – https://t.co/a8pHzACjMd #nyc #BrooklynBridge #Israel_under_attack #prohamas #ProtestForPalestine @brooklynmuseum @CHInfoNews @Lubavitch @Chabad @barclayscenter pic.twitter.com/9mfWfQRLr9
— The Jewish Voice (@JewishVoice) October 29, 2023
In NYC, the #BrooklynBridge is closed
America, you’re in trouble, but then you know that
However, did you know how much trouble you’re in
Pro-Palestine is pro-Hamas
Pro-Hamas is pro-terrorism
Just wait until the people we let in
Show up armed… you won’t be waiting long~ pic.twitter.com/VjI3W1YnwC
— TruthInBytes (@bytesintruth) October 28, 2023
Happening now!#Palestine #Israel #BrooklynBridge #NYC #Protest pic.twitter.com/WwY7nMZhqL
— whatnobodytoldyou (@whatnobodytoldu) October 28, 2023
Due to Pro-Hamas protest the Brooklyn Bridge is closed in both directions. #nyc #BrooklynBridge #HamasislSIS https://t.co/EabTDsdNmQ pic.twitter.com/Zcdj8vZJh3
— The Jewish Voice (@JewishVoice) October 28, 2023
Jason B., a Puerto Rico native living in New York, echoed these sentiments, alleging that Israel used hostages as an excuse to target Palestinians in Gaza, as was noted in the Post report. He claimed that Israel was responsible for committing the very atrocities it accused the Hamas terrorist group of carrying out, according to the Post report.
The Post reported that he expressed his solidarity with the Palestinian people, citing the ongoing conflict as a form of genocide. Jason questioned the veracity of reports regarding the beheading of Israeli babies and children, implying that such narratives were aimed at tarnishing the Palestinian image.
Two 24-year-old women from Crown Heights were seen holding signs depicting Israeli flags inside hearts while advocating for the movement to defund Israel and end the U.S.’s alliance with the Middle Eastern country, according to the Post report. They argued that expecting Palestinians to peacefully reclaim their freedom was unrealistic, given the complex and long-standing nature of the conflict. These women chose to remain anonymous, emphasizing the sensitivity of the subject matter, as was reported by the Post.
At the same event, a 15-year-old protester carried a sign reading “F–k Israel, all my homies hate Israel,” adopting a mocking tone reminiscent of internet memes, the Post report said.
While the majority of the participants were focused on expressing their support for Palestine, there were also counter-protesters in attendance. One individual carried American and Israeli flags and shouted slogans advocating for peace and love, according to the Post report. However, he was met with hostility, with some marchers even labeling him a “terrorist” and affixing stickers that read “Zionism is terrorism” to his back.
Another Jewish man who attempted to voice his opinion as the group marched past was met with profanities and a swift shutdown by the rally participants, the Post noted.
Organized by Within Our Lifetimes, the march also ignited tensions and grievances from various quarters.
The event started with a warning from the organizers, as a flier posted on Instagram proclaimed, “The more they try and silence us, the louder we will be,” the Post reported.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) was out in full force, deploying approximately 1,800 officers to oversee the march and employing drones for crowd control, according to the Post report. Two NYPD helicopters also patrolled the Brooklyn Bridge. In a show of dedication, the NYPD called in additional officers on their days off to manage the swelling crowd.
However, the presence of law enforcement did little to deter disruptions and controversies. Protesters targeted patrol cars, causing damage and defacing at least two vehicles with graffiti, the Post report said. Some participants openly expressed their dissatisfaction with the NYPD, marking dusty bus windows with the phrase “F—k NYPD.”
Before the rally, former City Councilman David Greenfield, now heading the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, criticized the choice of holding an anti-Israel protest in Crown Heights on Shabbat, as was indicated in the Post report. Crown Heights has a sizable population of Hasidic Jews, and the timing and location were seen as provocative by some.
Orthodox Rabbi Motti Seligson, 41, expressed concern about the march coinciding with an annual gathering of more than 1,000 Hasidic college students in the Chabad-Lubavitch neighborhood. He stated that the event was fueling tensions and promoting the perception that the protesters were supporting the Hamas terror organization.
The march caused significant traffic disruption, with protesters blocking intersections and immobilizing cars for several minutes. The Post report also said that while many participants moved through the major thoroughfare and continued on their route, some surrounded vehicles, preventing them from moving forward. Chants of “This is a protest, free Palestine!” and “C’mon y’all, let’s go, we’re holding traffic here” filled the air, as the hated filled demonstrators spewed forth their mendacious narrative about the war that Hamas launched on Israel.
Some protesters used bicycles and a red banner reading “Muslim Jewish Antifascist Front” as shields to block traffic. The Post report also said that the determination of the demonstrators was clear, with one individual loudly exclaiming, “We got more people, y’all going to wait for Palestine. Y’all be alright.”
Some march attendees were heard chanting, “Long Live Gaza,” underscoring their unwavering support for the Iranian backed Hamas terror organization that uses Palestinians as human shields.
The pro-Palestine march in Brooklyn saw the massive crowd divide into three distinct groups, with the largest contingent making their way to Union Square, the Post reported. As they converged on this iconic location, the demonstrators loudly chanted “Free Palestine.”
At Union Square, protesters mounted the iconic George Washington statue, which stands as a symbol of American heritage. The Post report said that they plastered stickers across the statue’s base that read, “Zionists are terrorists.”
A Muslim woman stood at the edges of the statue, armed with a microphone. The Post reported that she issued a menacing threat, proclaiming, “Until it’s free, we will not stop.”
Notably, the protesters set up a makeshift basketball hoop on the pavement, crafted from Banksy’s iconic poster featuring a young girl releasing a heart-shaped balloon. As was reported by the Post, this display was accompanied by multiple alternate side parking signs and featured the message: “F–K ISRAEL. That’s what New Yorkers are saying.”
In addition to the graffiti and vehemently anti-Israel displays, pro-Palestinian protesters targeted a Union Square Starbucks, defacing the establishment as customers dined inside. According to the Post report, the vandals, donning masks and head coverings, spray-painted “Free Gaza” across the restaurant’s facade. They also covered the coffee shop’s glass windows with stickers reading “Zionism is terrorism” and “Zionism: hands off our universities,” the report added. One of the vandals lifted the other up to post an “End the lies or Gaza dies” sticker just below the glowing Starbucks sign.
The graffiti and destruction during the march resulted in at least one person being arrested, according to police sources, the Post reported. The protest followed a pattern of increasingly heated demonstrations in Brooklyn, including a rally in Bay Ridge last week where participants called for the eradication of Israel and displayed anti-Semitic signs, leading to clashes with the police and the arrest of 19 individuals, the Post report said. In a separate incident, Brooklyn State Senator Jabari Brisport and City Council Member Shahana Hanif were among 100 anti-Israel protesters arrested at a pro-Palestinian rally in Midtown, where participants disrupted Bryant Park and blocked traffic.
