New York cops have arrested 34 pro-Palestinian protestors who disrupted the iconic Macy’s Day Parade.
The annual Thanksgiving Day parade that Macy’s hosts on Sixth Avenue was disrupted by pro-Palestine protests amid heightened tensions over the Middle East crisis.
New York City cops charged four activists criminally for resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, trespassing and disorderly conduct.
The remaining 30 were issued summonses for trespassing after the demonstrators leaped over the barricades to block the route and unveil a large ‘Free Palestine’ banner.
Activists doused themselves in fake blood and apparently glued themselves to the road and forced the extravagant parade to continue around their demonstrations in Midtown Manhattan.
The protest was targeted at US support for Israel, while also linking the crisis in the Middle East to climate change as they shouted: ‘Liberation for Palestine and climate’
Several demonstrators were taken into custody after marring the family event with political outbursts over the Middle East crisis
Pro-Palestine protestors leapt over the barricade and brought the parade to a halt roughly two hours after the procession got underway on Thursday morning
The protest took off at Sixth Avenue and West 45th Street at 10 am, around 90 minutes after the parade began.
During the protests – the Pro-Palestinian group wore white jumpsuits sprayed with fake blood – which appeared to be made from grape juice – and branded with words like ‘colonialism’ and ‘consumerism’.
The bold protestors refused to leave Sixth Avenue – where the famous parade was taking place – until they were finally taken into custody by the police.
Loud boos rang out from the crowd as the white jumpsuit-clad protestors poured fake blood over themselves and held up the parade for thousands, as they appeared to try and link the crisis in the Middle East to climate change, shouting: ‘Liberation for Palestine and climate.’
The protests left many furious that the popular fun family event had been dragged into politics – while others commented on how the broadcast coverage appeared to purposefully avoid showing the disruption taking place.
Amid heightened political tensions, NYPD officers were out in force, with officials saying they had stepped up extra ‘robust’ security along the route compared to previous years.
Other protest-related disturbances were reported at two different NYC locations, at West 49th Street and West 59th Street.
Protestors spray-painted the words ‘Free Palestine’ on the pillars of the New York Public Library’s primary branch near Bryant Park, a police spokesperson told The Washington Post.
Before it was hit by political disruptions, the Big Apple rang in Turkey Day in style as a colorful procession moved past Central Park to start the day’s festivities
The iconic Tom Turkey float was led down the parade route by an ensemble of Thanksgiving dancers as the event got off to a sunny and light-hearted opening, before pro-Palestine protestors leapt over the railings and brought it to a brief halt
New York City burst into life as the 97th edition of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade took over the streets of Manhattan on Thursday morning
A police spokesperson said she wasn’t sure if the four protestors arrested for vandalizing the front of the library remained in custody as of Friday morning, and it’s unclear whether they had legal representation.
New York Public Library spokesperson Jennifer Fermino said she ‘strongly supports the right to protest,’ but that the damage to the building will be expensive – especially amidst NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ budget cuts to the library system.
‘Individuals involved in a protest vandalized the Library’s flagship Stephen A. Schwarzman building, a space devoted to the open exchange of ideas and intellectual debate,’ Fermino said.
‘This comes at a time when the city’s libraries are facing steep budget cuts that have left us unable to maintain our current levels of service, and this vandalism will be costly to repair.’