Pro-Palestinian demonstrators organized by the activist group Within Our Lifetime effectively shut down New York City’s Grand Central Station. The protesters, many wearing keffiyehs and waving Palestinian flags, entered the station, chanting slogans and banging drums in response to a global strike called by Palestinians concerning the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The NYPD responded by closing the station’s entrances, aiming to manage the situation and ensure public safety. WOL leader Nerdeen Kiswani claimed on social media that authorities sought to suppress their message by shutting down access. Despite these measures, protesters continued their demonstration inside the station, with chants to “shut it down” and signs calling to “abolish” Israel.
In addition to the Grand Central protest, activists rallied outside the Egyptian Consulate and the United Nations headquarters, urging Arab leaders to take action against Israeli military operations in Gaza. Chants such as “Arab leaders make it right, join the people, join the fight!” were heard as they marched past the Egyptian mission. At the UN building, protesters proclaimed, “from the river to the sea, Palestine is almost free,” with banners calling to “globalize the intifada” from New York to Gaza.
The NYPD reported that six individuals were taken into custody during the UN demonstration, and four others received summonses for obstructing governmental administration. Kiswani alleged that law enforcement attempted to prevent their demonstration at the Israeli consulate and that protesters faced assaults, including objects thrown from buildings above.
Grand Central Station has been a focal point for anti-Israel protests since the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Similar demonstrations occurred in the station in the months following the incident.
Source link
