Protests in support of Palestinians held in NYC on Oct. 7

NEW YORK (PIX11) – Demonstrations in support of Palestinians were held in New York City on Monday to protest Israel’s continued killing of civilians in Gaza during the country’s ongoing fight against Hamas.

Within Our Lifetime, an activist organization that supports Palestinians, organized the rallies and marches across New York City to “stand with Gaza and uplift the Palestinian people resisting genocide by any means necessary since 1948,” a post on X read.

Thousands of protesters met at locations across Manhattan, marching through Wall Street, City Hall, Washington Square Park, Union Square and more.

The demonstrators had planned to protest at Grand Central Terminal, but police would not allow the crowd onto 42nd Street.

Organizers also planned to protest at Times Square and Columbus Circle but decided to change the march's route due to "several violent threats from Zionists," according to Within Our Lifetime.

Small crowds of counter-protesters could be seen at times showing their support for Israel during the pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Palestinian supporters and NYPD officers scuffled as demonstrators marched near West 35th Street and Broadway. Organizers of the march encouraged demonstrators to keep moving.

Multiple people were taken into custody during the demonstrations, according to the NYPD. Additional information about the incidents was unavailable from police.

Palestinian supporters eventually ended their march in the evening at Madison Square Park, where organizers told demonstrators to disperse.

Janet Clark, a Jewish New Yorker who participated in the pro-Palestinian demonstrations on Monday, explained why she is protesting Israel’s actions in Gaza.

“I’m Jewish, and this entire nightmare that has been going on for over a year now is being done in my name, completely against Jewish values. For my people, which went through the Holocaust, to use the fake excuse of self-defense to commit ethnic cleansing and now genocide, is abominable,” Clark said.

Students at Columbia University, a hot spot for protests calling on the university to sever its financial ties to Israel, also staged a walkout on Monday to support Palestinian liberation, organizers said. 

Monday marks one year since Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel. Events were planned to take place all over the New York City area to remember those who were killed.

On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in an attack in southern Israel and took 250 hostages. Around 100 hostages have not been returned, a third of whom are believed to be dead.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive since Oct. 7 has killed over 41,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between fighters and civilians but says more than half were women and children. Huge areas of Gaza have been completely destroyed, most of the population has been driven from their homes, and hunger is widespread.

“I would’ve thought with my conception of humanity that this would have been stopped a long, long, long time ago. And the fact that it’s dragged on this long with complete and total U.S. support and aid is a world-changing view for me,” said Clark, the Palestinian supporter in New York City. “History is going to judge us how we act now.”