NYPD Reports Several Arrests and an Officer Wounded During Pro-Palestinian Protests

(BrightPress.org) – New York Police officers made multiple arrests and one officer was injured during a pro-Palestinian rally on Christmas day in Manhattan.

Police busted six individuals during the protest which went on for several hours and interfered with local holiday celebrations.

The arrests occurred when protesters invaded Grand Central Terminal and Union Square. The charges were for menacing an officer, disorderly conduct, and graffiti.

The group began to congregate on Sixth Avenue at approximately 2 p.m. before heading to the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. They chanted slogans like “Christmas is canceled here,” and held signs that said “No Joy In Genocide.” Many waved Palestinian flags.

Organizers were demanding a ceasefire in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mayor Eric Adams said they were anticipating similar protests and disruptions on New Year’s Eve. Speaking on Tuesday, December 26th, Adams promised the city would be using a lot of technology to maintain everyone’s safety. He said large gatherings around the holidays could be exploited by criminals to cause harm.

Adams added that protesting is an American right, but methods matter and clogging up the streets, bridges, or other transportation avenues is inappropriate. He said that the city is too large and too complex to allow those kinds of disruptions.

Adams also noted that it only takes a handful of bad actors to spoil an otherwise peaceful protest.

The fighting continues in Gaza. In the weekend preceding Christmas, 17 Israelis and 70 Gazans were killed during a series of air strikes. The Gazan health authorities said the number of civilian casualties is extremely high.

Egypt is attempting to broker a ceasefire that would see the release of all hostages still held by Hamas and formally dissolve the militant governing organization. Hamas has yet to respond to the proposal; observers believe it is unlikely they’ll give up control after being the ruling authority in Palestine for the past 16 years. It’s estimated that Hamas still holds around 100 hostages.