Pro-Palestinian demonstrators clashed with police in Manhattan on Thursday evening as they targeted the iconic Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony in ugly scenes that saw the NYPD make seven arrests.
Footage shared on social media showed demonstrators, some masked, scuffling with officers as they attempted to push through their lines. Police deployed pepper spray, while one officer had his hat stolen, and then burned by a protester.
Speaking to Newsweek, an NYPD spokesperson confirmed that seven people had been arrested, one on a felony charge and five on misdemeanors. The spokesperson said they were unable to confirm unverified social media reports that a number of officers were injured during the disturbances.
The protest in New York took place just days after demonstrators in Ypsilanti, Michigan, targeted a Christmas tree lighting in the town on Sunday, partially drowning out a children's choir with chants of "free Palestine" and "occupation's got to go."
Wednesday's demonstration was promoted by pro-Palestine group "Within Our Lifetime," which urged its supporters to "flood the tree lighting FOR GAZA."
Police succeeded in keeping protesters away from the Rockefeller Center itself, where the ceremony began at 7 p.m. Protesters instead congregated around another Christmas tree outside the News Corporation building, which houses Fox News.
Photos and video posted on X, formerly Twitter, by independent journalist Julio Rosas showed protesters waving Palestinian flags and banners reading: "Victory to the Palestinian resistance."
According to The New York Post, one police officer was overheard claiming he'd been "shoved, punched, kicked" during the clashes, which another described as "complete chaos."
Speaking to the publication Jamie Fry, a tourist from the U.K. who had flown over to watch the ceremony, said it had made him less sympathetic to the demonstrators' cause.
He commented: "I had planned my holiday around this event, being a big fan of Christmas. Now I'm walled in by a bunch of terrorist-loving a****** calling for intifada.
"Their strategy for sympathy is disruption, but all they'll get out of me is a big f*** you."
Sunday's protest in Ypsilanti saw dozens of pro-Palestine activists demonstrating alongside the Christmas tree lighting ceremony while chanting slogans such as "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," at times making a children's choir largely inaudible.
Demonstrations in support of Palestine have taken place across the world since Israel launched a massive air and ground operation against Gaza in response to a surprise attack on southern Israel by Hamas gunmen on October 7 that left 1,200 Israelis dead and saw about 240 hostages taken.
The conflict in Gaza has since led to the deaths of more than 13,300 Palestinians, The Associated Press reported, while many more have been injured and hundreds of thousands displaced. A temporary ceasefire is currently continuing in Gaza as Hamas continues to exchange hostages for prisoners and humanitarian aid.
Pro-Palestinian protesters also attempted to disrupt New York's famous Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 23 by gluing themselves to the road and spilling a red liquid, before they were removed by police.
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James Bickerton is a Newsweek U.S. News reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is covering U.S. politics and world ... Read more
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