On Wednesday night, pro-Palestinian demonstrators fought with officers from the New York Police Department while trying to disrupt the annual lighting of the giant Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan.
Ahead of the event, pro-Palestinian groups had issued a “call for action,” in which they insisted “Jesus was a Palestinian,” rather than Jewish. The call for action stated, “Flood The Tree Lighting,” using “flood” in an apparent reference to the name Hamas terrorists used for the October massacre of Israelis, “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.”
Prior to the event, a spokesman for the NYPD’s Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau stated, “We do anticipate that there will be protests in the city on Wednesday — to include around the area of the tree lighting — and at future gatherings around the city in the days and weeks to come, as we have seen over the past seven weeks. The NYPD will be on hand to protect the tree lighting and all those attending, and we will not tolerate disruption or any threats to public safety.”
Some of the demonstrators actively fought with police, with some of the rioters yelling, “Shut it down,” while others broke through police barricades.
One man masked in a keffiyeh burned an NYPD hat, and one taunted NYPD officers, yelling, “Do you want to get shot now? Which one of y’all want to get Derek Chauvin’d? I’d give you that Chris Dorner treatment real quick!”
Chris Dorner was a former officer of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) who committed revenge killings targeting the LAPD that left four people dead. Dorner wrote in his manifesto, “I will bring unconventional and asymmetrical warfare to those in LAPD uniform whether on or off duty. ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] is my strength and your weakness. You will now live the life of the prey.”
Footage of the riotous demonstration at Rockefeller Center has circulated online.
One of the mass produced signs at the “Flood The Tree Lighting For Gaza” says: “Victory to the Palestinian resistance” pic.twitter.com/eTPh9mRMok
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) November 29, 2023
What started as an argument over preventing protesters from going into the street, a black man in a keffiyeh started heckling a black NYPD officer: “Listen to that white man…Get your dumba** in the back!” pic.twitter.com/nyUoAYlRl3
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) November 30, 2023
🚨: More videos of fighting between NYPD and the Palestinian crowd. pic.twitter.com/GinmfYzkNs
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) November 30, 2023
A man masked in a keffiyeh showed off the NYPD hat he set on fire. pic.twitter.com/75n5tAduWW
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) November 30, 2023
🚨: The Palestinian crowd became hostile and fought with NYPD once again when they tried to prevent officers from taking away someone they had arrested. pic.twitter.com/eUaCbePziP
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) November 30, 2023
A pro-Palestinian marcher taunts NYPD officers, praising when police were either killed or shot: “Which one of y’all want to get Derek Chauvin’d? I’d give you that Chris Dorner treatment real quick!” pic.twitter.com/lRD4gOSgb1
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) November 30, 2023
Visibly Jewish person walks by pro-Hamas NYC rally yesterday.
He gets called a “nazi,” “k*ke,” “Jew piece of shit,” and a “genocide supporter”
At what point are we going to stop pretending any of this is about supporting Palestinians or a ceasefire?pic.twitter.com/PyxV2dKJAb
— AG (@AGHamilton29) November 30, 2023
Palestinian protests are erupting across the Middle East tonight.
Just kidding, this is a Christmas Tree lighting ceremony in the United States of America.
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) November 30, 2023
Pro-Palestinian Protester carries a BURNING NYPD cop hat, as the group marches through Manhattan for "Flood Tree Lighting for Gaza" Protest.
[email protected] to license pic.twitter.com/NloLj00APx
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) November 30, 2023
🚨#BREAKING: Chaos erupts As Pro-Palestinian Protesters try to Disrupt the Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting breaking through barricades and fighting with police ⁰⁰📌#Manhattan | #NewYork ⁰⁰Currently Chaos is unfolding in midtown Manhattan, in New York City, as reports of… pic.twitter.com/MdfiLxHdxr
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) November 30, 2023