Massive Arrests in NYC: Pro-Palestine Protesters Confront Met Gala Chaos
Massive Arrests in New York City as Over a Thousand Pro-Palestine Protesters Head for Met Gala
The New York Police Department has started arresting individuals as over a thousand pro-Palestine protesters marched through the upper side of Manhattan towards the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the star-studded Met Gala was being held.
Protesters Blocked Traffic
As the demonstrators marched down 5th Avenue towards the gala, causing traffic disruption, police intervened at the East 79th Street Transverse at Central Park and initiated arrests, as reported by the NY Post.
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"This is an exercise in futility at this point. There’s nowhere for them to go," was heard from a police officer trying to manage the crowd, as per the report.
Protesters Blocked from Reaching the Met
The protesters left the park and were within sight of the Met, but a blockade of police officers — two deep — prevented them from proceeding north. One protester was heard saying, “Is that the Met? Oh no, we were so close.”
The group attempted to reach the museum again by turning down East 81st Street but was once again halted by additional police barricades at the intersection with Madison Avenue, according to the NY Post.
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The group chanted "Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest," while waving Palestinian flags and donning keffiyeh face coverings.
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The crowd challenged the police with questions like "Who do you serve? Who do you protect?"
Tweets from @rawsalerts and @SuppressedNws
Currently, hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters and other activists are clashing with New York police.
As we reflect on the escalating tensions and the resulting mass arrests, we must ask ourselves - where is the line between peaceful protest and disruption? Do you think the police response was justified, or could the situation have been handled differently? Share your thoughts with us and encourage your friends to join the conversation. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, every day at 6pm.
