There is No Slow Down of Protests in N.Y.C.
Credit: Mohammed Abubakr via Pexels
Protests surrounding the Israel-Hamas war have made a consistent presence on the streets of New York City.
Protests by supporters of both Palestine and Israel have been present in the streets of New York City.
Protests calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the removal of the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) from the occupied West Bank have occurred, as have protests showing support for Israel and calling for the release of hostages in Gaza. Since the start of the war on Oct. 7, 2023, the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 27,000, according to Al Jazeera, and there are still over 100 hostages from Israel in Gaza, according to Yahoo News in mid-January.
On Jan. 8, hundreds of protestors calling for a ceasefire blocked traffic in New York on several major roadways. The Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge and Holland Tunnel were cascaded with groups of protestors, calling for a ceasefire and an end to the occupation. Subsequently, the New York Police Department made 325 arrests with many facing misdemeanor charges.
The groups partaking in the various protests include the Palestinian Youth Movement and Jewish Voices for Peace. In a statement co-written by these groups, they explained, “By blocking the city’s exits, the protestors created - briefly, imperfectly - a physical analogue for the situation in Gaza, where there is no getting out.”
The same day at a news briefing, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said he understood “the pain of innocent lives being lost right now,” but did not support the tactics being used by these protestors.
Other politicians are also speaking up about the ongoing protests like Rep. Nancy Pelosi. The former speaker of the House is promoting an FBI investigation into some of these protests that demonstrated support for Palestine on the possibility that they’re being funded by Russia.
“Sadly, Rep. Pelosi’s comments echo a time in our nation when opponents of the Vietnam War were accused of being communist sympathizers and subjected to FBI harassment,” The Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Executive Director Nihad Awad said in a statement responding to Pelosi’s claim. “Her comments once again show the negative impact of decades of dehumanization of the Palestinian people by those supporting Israeli apartheid,” said Awad.
On Dec. 21, 2023, protestors showing their support for both Palestine and Israel rallied on the steps of the New York Public Library in Midtown Manhattan. Yasmeen Elagha, who has family in Gaza, said to CBS News that their lives have been a “hellish nightmare.” She has 10 family members waiting to escape Gaza, two of whom are United States citizens. Elagha said there has been no action or help of any kind from the U.S. government to help get her family out of Gaza.
Elagha and the other protestors showing support for Palestine were not only calling for a ceasefire but also for the halt of the aid package for Israel from passing on Capitol Hill.
In support of Israel, Wendy Shafir told CBS News that “Unit Hamas surrenders, the Israeli Army cannot stop fighting.” Many of the protestors siding with Israel were taking to the streets calling for the hostages to be released and the elimination of Hamas.