Hundreds of anti-Israel protesters, including one carrying a large sign with a swastika, clashed with police Wednesday night in an attempt to disrupt the Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting, raising concerns that other holiday events will be similarly disrupted this year. Waving Palestinian flags and chanting “from the river to the sea” and “shut it down,” the protesters gathered on Sixth Avenue at West 47th Street near the News Corporation building. City police prevented demonstrators from reaching the tree-lighting a few blocks away and from derailing the Christmas festivities broadcast on NBC.One demonstrator carried a large sign with a black swastika and the words “Israeli Military” written below, according to a video posted on X by a CBS News reporter, Ali Bauman. Another video depicted an organizer with a microphone leading marchers with slogans, including “genocide Joe has got to go.” In another video posted online from the protest, a truck with an illuminated billboard passed by at one point with the words, “Zionism is a genocidal Grinch” written in lights on the side.The NYPD was warned ahead of time to have “elevated vigilance” at the annual Christmas event that draws thousands of spectators in person and millions more watching on television. Police posted messages on social media beforehand to assure attendees they would “feel secure” with the added police presence.Some protesters, though, tried to knock down police barricades and fought with officers. Several people were arrested, though the NYPD would not confirm numbers and charges as the protest is still ongoing and moving south down Park Avenue.The protest called “Flood the tree lighting for Gaza” was organized by a self-described Palestinian-led community organization, Within Our Lifetime. This is one of many “Flood” protests the group has recently organized — an apparent reference to the name of Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack, which was called Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.At the Within Our Lifetime’s Thanksgiving demonstration, protesters caused $75,000 in damages to the New York Public Library’s flagship Stephen A. Schwarzman building on Fifth Avenue by throwing red paint and putting red handprints on the façade. This is just the start of the holiday season, and Chanukah begins next week. An NYPD spokesman told the Sun before the Rockefeller Center protests that it anticipates there will be disruptions “at future gatherings around the city in the days and weeks to come.”“We will not tolerate disruption or any threats to public safety,” the NYPD spokesman said. The NYPD says it will have more information Thursday morning on the number of arrests and charges.
