NEW YORK — Approximately 200 individuals protesting against Israel’s actions in Gaza were apprehended during a sit-in outside the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, as confirmed by police.
The protesters voiced their demands with slogans like “Let Gaza live!” and ”Up up with liberation, down down with occupation!” in front of the iconic building located in lower Manhattan.
Beth Miller, the political director of Jewish Voice for Peace, which organized the event, expressed, “Our presence here is a call for the U.S. government to cease the delivery of bombs to Israel and to stop profiting from the genocide occurring against Palestinians in Gaza.” She emphasized that, over the past year, Israel has been utilizing U.S.-made bombs to carry out assaults on Gaza communities while weapons manufacturers based on Wall Street have been witnessing a dramatic uplift in their stock values.
Meanwhile, a small group of counterprotesters brandished Israeli flags and attempted to drown out the voices of the pro-Palestinian crowd.
Although none of the pro-Palestinian activists entered the stock exchange itself, around 200 were able to breach a security barrier on Broad Street, subsequently sitting down and awaiting arrest.
A representative for the stock exchange opted not to provide any comments regarding the protest.
Police proceeded to arrest the demonstrators individually, using plastic ties to bind their hands behind their backs before escorting them to vans. Some protesters chose to go limp, necessitating the assistance of multiple officers to carry them away.
According to a police spokesperson, roughly 200 arrests were made, although specific details regarding the charges against those detained were not available.
This protest occurred a week after the world commemorated the anniversary of Hamas’s unexpected attack on Israel on October 7, marking the onset of Israel’s military response in Gaza, which has since expanded into Lebanon and other regions.
The Lebanese Red Cross reported that an Israeli airstrike targeted an apartment complex in northern Lebanon on the same day, resulting in the deaths of at least 21 individuals.
The Israeli military has yet to release a statement regarding this event, and the intended target of the airstrike has not been clarified.