New York was witnessed chaotic scenes as a pro-Palestine rally took a violent turn in the city. Hundreds of protesters had gathered outside the Brooklyn Borough Hall to show solidarity with Palestine and support their cause. However, things soon escalated with a few protestors resorting to unruly behaviour.
Video footage from the protest shows a masked individual setting an American flag on fire amid chants of “Death to America” from a section of the crowd. There were also reports of others waving flags of organizations designated as terrorist groups like Hezbollah. The actions of these handful seemed intended to provoke and spread discord rather than peacefully raising their voice.
As per reports, protestors later marched towards the Brooklyn Bridge which led to a face-off with the police deployed to maintain law and order. While most protests were peaceful in voicing their opinion on the Palestine issue, some chose the path of violence which cannot be condoned. This led to police making a few arrests to control the unruly elements after they ignored warnings.
The demonstrations in New York were part of wider protests held across North America condemning the recent violence in Israel and Gaza. While people have the right to dissent, inciting communal disharmony and endangering public safety should not be tolerated. It is hoped that pro-Palestinian supporters focus their energy on non-violent platforms to raise important issues related to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
