A demonstration of anti-Israel protestors in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, last night (Saturday) descended into violence as protestors blocked traffic, lit fires, and clashed with police.
5,000 people attended the “Flood Brooklyn for Palestine” demonstration, which lasted for many hours and grew increasingly violent after night fell.
The demonstrators called for the US to end its support for the State of Israel in the wake of the Hamas massacre of over 1,400 Israelis on October 7 and even called for the annihilation of Israel.
“We are calling for full liberation of all of Palestine," one protestor shouted, repeating a common call for the destruction of Israel "to every single inch, from river to the sea.”
This protestor, who was from the 'Within Our Lifetime' anti-Israel movement, said that "we are not like other groups simply calling for a cease-fire. We are calling not simply for an end to genocide. We are calling for an end to the siege, an end to the blockade. An end to the occupation.”
Demonstrators yelled slogans such as “Zionism is genocide,” “We will free Palestine within our lifetime," "Resistance is justified when people are occupied," and “Say it loud, say it clear, we don’t want no Zionists here!”
Protestors also lit fires in the middle of the road and threw eggs at the police who attempted to disperse the crowd and reopen the road to vehicular traffic.
Police stated that a number of protestors were arrested, but did not reveal how many.