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Pro-Palestinian protesters block Manhattan Bridge
By
Arun Venugopal
and
Stephen Rex Brown
Published Nov 26, 2023
Modified Nov 26, 2023
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Arun Venugopal
By
Arun Venugopal
and
Stephen Rex Brown
Published Nov 26, 2023
Modified Nov 26, 2023
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Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters blocked traffic Sunday on the Manhattan Bridge.
The demonstration demanding a cease-fire in Israel's war on Hamas militants in Gaza came on one of the busiest travel days of the year. The city urged drivers to avoid the bridge.
The protesters sat in the roadway at Canal Street in Manhattan at 2 p.m. Many wore shirts reading "ceasefire now" and laid a banner on the pavement reading "the whole world is watching." The protest ended around 6 p.m. An NYPD spokesperson said there were "multiple" arrests at the demonstration.
Among the organizers was Jewish Voice for Peace, which has called Israel an apartheid state.
Jay Saper, a member of the group, said they timed the demonstration to draw maximum attention to their call for a lasting cease-fire. A current pause in the war to facilitate the exchange of Hamas hostages for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody and the delivery of aid is set to expire Tuesday.
"These kind of things where you stop traffic brings more attention to the issue. I do think there are many Americans who don’t really pay attention to how serious this is," said one demonstrator, Joan Glickman, 74, of Westchester.
Activist Linda Sarsour said she hoped the White House had noticed the protest.
Arun Venugopal
Dozens of police officers were on the scene and a drone flew overhead. A community affairs officer told Gothamist there were no immediate plans for arrests, though Department of Correction buses were parked nearby.
On Oct. 7 Hamas militants killed more than 1,200 people in Israel. Israel has responded with a bombing campaign and invasion of Gaza that killed more than 14,000 people, according to local authorities.
"I hope that this message is strong and they’re listening in the White House,” said prominent Palestinian American activist Linda Sarsour.
This article has been updated to note arrests at the demonstration that ended around 6 p.m.
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Arun Venugopal
Arun Venugopal is a senior reporter for the WNYC and Gothamist Race & Justice Unit who focuses on issues of race and bias in our region. His reporting also tackles the topics of immigration, faith, and inequality. Arun serves as the regular fill-in host of the station's "U.S. of Anxiety" program. Arun was the creator and host of Micropolis, a series about race and identity. He is a contributor to NPR's Morning Edition and All Things Considered. He has appeared on PBS Newshour, On the Media and Studio 360, and has been published in The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal and Salon. He also frequently serves as an emcee and moderator of panel discussions on race, religion, and identity issues and has been a guest host of NPR's "Fresh Air." He lives with his family in Queens.
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Stephen Rex Brown
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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