‘You Zionist Pig’: Pro-Palestinian Protesters Vandalize New York Times Building, Grand Central Station By Ari Blaff
Pro-Palestinian protesters marched through central Manhattan on Friday, tearing down American flags on city blocks and kicking in the doors of Grand Central Station as law enforcement sheltered inside.
Beginning at Columbus Circle, the mob burned an Israeli flag and led chants of “We don’t want a Jewish state. We want ’48!” referring to a historical period prior to the establishment of the country. Others demanded, “Settlers, settlers, go back home! Palestine is ours alone!” and “It is right to rebel. Israel, go to Hell!”
As one protester told the New York Post, “Since ’48 Israel came and occupied Palestine. Since that day and today they’re killing kids and children. Every day they’re bombing hospitals, kids and schools, and houses.”
An organizer of the demonstrations, Within Our Lifetime, called on protesters to “flood Manhattan for Gaza,” demanding, “Cease genocide. Cease the siege. Cease the blockade. Cease occupation. Cease funding Israel. Cease settler colonization. Cease Zionism. Cease imperialism,” in a pinned post on Instagram. The leader of the group, Nerdeen Kiswani, during an appearance on Piers Morgan’s talk show in late October, would not condemn the Hamas atrocities committed on October 7.
Along the marching path, the mob vandalized the New York Times building before encircling Grand Central Station and forcing the transit hub to close for the second night in a row. Outside the media outlet’s headquarters, young men flipped off a Daily News reporter screaming, “F*** you! You Zionist pig!”
Despite it being the night before Veterans Day, demonstrators wearing Palestinian keffiyehs repeatedly tore down American flags across the city to wild cheers from the crowd of supporters. Some were detained by NYPD officers. In at least one instance, NYPD officers looked on and decided not to intervene as people scaled city street lights to desecrate the flag.
Despite the destruction and violence, CBS reportedly described the mob as “mostly peaceful,” according to Atlantic journalist Judith Shulevitz conjuring up CNN’s infamous defense of Black Lives Matter riots. “They were chanting from the river to the sea, and that calls for the elimination of Israel and the genocide of the Jews,” one counter-demonstrator told the Post.
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