On Monday, New York City police arrested numerous pro-Gaza protesters outside the New York Stock Exchange, following a demonstration aimed at highlighting Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza and Lebanon. The protest was organized by Jewish Voice for Peace and drew significant attention as demonstrators expressed their dissent against the escalating violence in the region.
Chants and Civil Disobedience
The protesters rallied outside the exchange, chanting phrases such as “Let Gaza live!” and “Up up with liberation, down down with occupation!” They managed to breach security barriers and sit down, awaiting police intervention. According to reports, the event resulted in multiple arrests, with estimates suggesting around 200 individuals could be taken into custody.
Jay Saper, a representative from Jewish Voice for Peace, stated, “200 Jews are risking arrest in the largest act of civil disobedience in the history of the New York Stock Exchange.” He emphasized the urgency of the situation, saying, “Stocks are rising while children are dying. As Israel drops bombs on homes, schools, and hospitals in Gaza, Wall Street booms, and all the members of Congress who invest in these companies get richer every day.”
Arrests and Police Response
Independent journalist Noah Hurowitz shared footage of the protest on Twitter, showing a large group of demonstrators gathering at the entrance to the exchange and blocking access. While the NYPD acknowledged that there had been multiple arrests, they did not provide a specific count at that time. Reports indicated that a credentialed journalist was briefly detained but later released.
Context of the Demonstration
This protest occurred shortly after the one-year anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2022, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, including over 40 Americans. In retaliation, Israel has conducted a military campaign in Gaza, with reports from the Gaza Ministry of Health indicating that over 41,000 people have died as a result of the conflict.
The ongoing Israel-Gaza war has not only impacted the immediate region but has also escalated tensions across the Middle East, raising concerns about broader military engagements, particularly involving Iran and Hezbollah. On October 8, Hezbollah began launching rockets at northern Israel in solidarity with Hamas, further complicating the conflict.
Outcry Against U.S. Involvement
Elena Stein, director of organizing strategy for Jewish Voice for Peace, criticized U.S. military support for Israel, stating, “At this very moment, the Israeli military is massacring family after family in North Gaza—with U.S.-made bombs.” She expressed her frustration with the Biden Administration’s financial support for Israel, referring to it as a “slush fund for Israel’s genocide” and called for a weapons embargo.
Stein continued, “We’re here refusing to be used as the U.S.’s moral cover and to expose its true interests: financial gain and control in the region.”
