NEW YORK (PIX11) — Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators rallied in Manhattan this evening standing in solidarity with Palestine, the partially recognized sovereign state.
Demonstrators also stopped at several sites along the way, stating these sites have supported Israel amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas
The protest started at the New York Public Library, and demonstrators began marching down Fifth Avenue, waving flags and chanting.
“It’s not like Israel is defending itself,” said pro-Palestine demonstrator Jose Rosete. “It’s completely attacking a population, they don’t have a place to go. There’s nowhere to go. It’s completely destroying Gaza. It’s bad.”
Meanwhile, over at Central Synagogue in Midtown, Mayor Eric Adams gave remarks and continued to stand in solidarity with Israel.
“This is a purposeful moment for all of us and together we will push past the evil barbaric actions of Hamas and bring home the hostages and do everything possible to make sure that ‘never again’ is not a bumper sticker,” Adams said. “It’s a way of life.”
Protesters on both sides of the conflict have been rallying since the conflict broke out more than a month ago, causing tension here in New York.
CNN also reported that the U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation into several schools, including Columbia, Cooper Union, and Cornell after receiving complaints about alleged incidents of Islamophobia and Antisemitism.
Friday morning, the words Free Palestine and Let Gaza Live were spray painted on the Park Slope office of Congressman Dan Goldman, a Jewish elected official. A spokesperson for his office responded in a statement saying:
“Harassing, intimidating, and outright attacking the staff of a Jewish elected official at a time of rising violence and rampant antisemitism is dangerous and unacceptable.”
We reached out to the schools that are being investigated by the federal government for Islamophobia and Antisemitism and are still waiting to hear back.
