‘Free Palestine’: Thousands take to streets in New York City
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Thousands of protestors took to the streets in New York City on Friday in support of Palestinians and condemning Israeli bombings in the Gaza Strip.
Protests erupted in multiple neighbourhoods of the U.S. city with demonstrators chanting "Free Palestine" and demanding an end to Israel's unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory.
Times Square witnessed large gatherings of demonstrators, consisting of both young and older activists, many of whom displayed Palestinian flags or donned keffiyehs while leaders voiced their messages through megaphones.
Protesters voiced the slogan "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," which is perceived by some as a call for equality between Palestinians and Israelis but has been criticized as anti-Semitic by Jewish organizations.
Videos depicted dozens of individuals gathering in front of Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer's residence in Brooklyn on Friday evening, urging a ceasefire as he readied for his trip to Israel alongside a delegation of lawmakers.
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New York City also witnessed counterprotests on Friday, as pro-Israel demonstrators took to the streets and occasionally engaged in heated verbal disputes with Palestinian supporters.
The city had heightened its state of alert in anticipation of the protests, deploying an increased police presence and patrols, as it was dubbed by some as an International Day of Action for Palestine.
While the protests, for the most part, remained peaceful, reports indicate that several dozen individuals were arrested throughout the day. At Senator Schumer's residence, law enforcement officers intervened to disperse the crowds.
New York, which is home to the largest Jewish community in the world outside Israel, has previously seen a series of demonstrations in support of the Palestinian cause as well as gatherings in solidarity with Israel who have been killed by Hamas.
Hamas, the armed Palestinian group that rules the Gaza Strip, launched its largest-ever surprise attack on Israel last Friday that killed at least 1,300 Israelis and foreign nationals.
Israel has since been heavily pounding the enclave of Gaza and has killed at least 1,900 Palestinians, including many women and children.
The United Nations described an Israeli order for 1.1 million Palestinians to leave Gaza as “impossible” and has called for a way to provide assistance to the many besieged Palestinians there who are now left without power, water or internet.
