Palestine (Washington Insider Magazine)— Pro-Palestine protesters marched on New York streets and disrupted Christmas celebrations. On Christmas Eve in New York City saw massive protests, with multiple pro-Palestine advocates clashing with police. Chanting ‘Christmas is cancelled here,’ hundreds of protestors rant the streets in what many perceive as ‘a war on Christmas.’ This pro-Palestinian protest on Christmas Day also led to several arrests. Six people were apprehended in a demonstration of hundreds marching through Midtown.
The Daily Mail noted that the NYPD has confirmed it has moved to ‘Level Three’ police reaction to stop the protests.
Police say some protesters clashed with officers around Grand Central and Union Square. It led to six arrests for menacing officials, graffiti, and disorderly behaviour. Protesters were also noticed throwing fake blood on nativity sets, which mark the birth of Jesus.
The protesters began on Sixth Avenue around 2 p.m. and then rotated around the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. It was covered by barricades where revellers were enjoying the holiday. Over 500 protestors shouted, “Long live the intifada.”
Police held protesters on the tree area’s outskirts before leading to Grand Central Station and Union Square.
‘While You’re Shopping, Bombs Are Dropping,’ one of the signboards held by the protesters. Several carried a “No Joy In Genocide” Nativity scene on their shoulders, spattered in fake blood. Many waved Palestinian flags.
The protests turned violent by night after, seeing scenes of cahos and sloganeering throughout the day. Many skirmishes broke out in the crowd outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral, provoking police to run through the group.
It wasn’t just the roads. Many Biden officials were faced with protestors who blocked their offices, calling the US administration’s Israel policy a ‘genocide.’
The protestors even abandoned “Zionism is terrorism” and “Free Palestine” stickers and “Murdered by Israel” posters on the surface of the Union Square Holiday Market. Whereas some chanted, “From NY to Gaza, Globalize the Intifada,” “Netanyahu is a warmonger,” and “Israel kills babies.”
Of the six arrested, one was apprehended with menacing an officer. Another was given a criminal court summons for graffiti. Four others were issued a desk appearance ticket for riotous conduct.
It was one of a series of demonstrations that happened at Christmas. Organisers posted a call to move online as Christmas services in Bethlehem were discontinued because of the war.
A video on Citizen App delivered protestors marching along 5th Avenue with flags and signage. One officer was injured during the protest, police say.
This all came as the war in Gaza remains as intense as ever. Egypt is now offering a new ceasefire plan, which would affect creating a new Palestinian government in Gaza and releasing hostages. As the conflict continues, more than a hundred captives remain in Hamas custody.
According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, 20,600 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war. According to the UNRWA, the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees, 1.9 million people have been displaced across the battered enclave,
The casualty toll among Israeli troops since the ground offensive started increased to 156 over the weekend. Around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were targeted in the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, and an assessed 240 were taken captive.
According to Reuters, Heads of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad have reportedly refused a ceasefire deal. Egypt offered it, which would have seen the parties give up power in the Gaza Strip.