NEW YORK — On Monday, about 200 passionate demonstrators gathered outside the New York Stock Exchange to protest Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza. The group, organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, chanted slogans such as “Let Gaza live!” and “Up up with liberation, down down with occupation!” in front of the iconic building in lower Manhattan.
The protesters were demanding that the U.S. government stop sending bombs to Israel and profiting off of the ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. According to Beth Miller, political director of Jewish Voice for Peace, Israel has been using U.S. bombs to massacre innocent communities in Gaza while weapons manufacturers on Wall Street see their stock prices soar.
As the chants grew louder, a small group of counter-protesters waving Israeli flags tried to drown out the pro-Palestinian voices. However, their efforts were in vain as the demonstrators remained determined to make their voices heard.
Although none of the protesters were able to enter the stock exchange, at least 200 of them managed to get inside a security fence on Broad Street. They sat down and peacefully waited to be taken into custody.
A spokesperson for the exchange declined to comment on the protest, but the message was clear – the protesters wanted to send a strong message to the U.S. government and the world that the ongoing violence in Gaza must end.
One by one, the protesters were arrested by the police, with their hands cuffed behind their backs with plastic ties. Some of them even went limp and had to be carried by multiple officers. A police spokesperson confirmed that there were approximately 200 arrests, but did not provide details on the charges they faced.
The protest took place just a week after the world marked the anniversary of Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on October 7th. This attack sparked a retaliatory campaign by Israel in Gaza, which has since spread to Lebanon and other parts of the region.
In fact, on the same day as the protest in New York, an Israeli airstrike hit an apartment building in northern Lebanon, killing at least 21 people according to the Lebanese Red Cross. There has been no immediate comment from the Israeli military, and the target of the strike is still unclear.
The ongoing violence and loss of innocent lives in Gaza and beyond is a tragic reminder of the urgent need for peace and justice in the region. The protesters in New York were not just standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people, but also calling on the U.S. government to take action and stop supporting the ongoing violence.
It is time for the international community to come together and demand an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people. The world cannot turn a blind eye to the atrocities being committed in Gaza and Lebanon. It is time for the U.S. government to use its influence to bring about a just and lasting solution to this conflict.
As the protesters were being arrested and taken away, their message remained strong and clear – the world must stand up against the violence and demand peace for the people of Gaza and all those affected by this ongoing conflict. Let us hope that their voices are heard and that we can soon see an end to the suffering and bloodshed in the region.
