Anti-Israel protesters carried an ominous “Live October 7th” banner as a group of agitators surrounded and shoved a journalist attempting to cover the demonstration in Union Square on Monday.
Several protesters wearing keffiyehs, a traditional Palestinian headgear, waved banners with disturbing messages celebrating last year’s Hamas attacks on Israel. According to footage taken at the scene.
Around 1,200 Israelis, including many civilians, have been killed by the terrorist group, more than 200 have been abducted and taken back to Gaza, and a military operation has been launched in the Palestinian exclave.
One journalist was harassed while attempting to cover the protests in Union Square and later filed a police report about his treatment.
The Free Press’ Olivia Rheingold captured footage of her being surrounded by protesters demanding that she leave the area.
“For the last 10 minutes I’ve been under siege,” she said on camera, before a protester interrupted her, saying: “You are not under siege, you are choosing not to leave.”
Protesters could be heard telling her she was not welcome and to get out, but Reingold noted she stood her ground even though she was on public land.
The Free Press reported on Twitter Monday night that agitators yelled that Reingold had “blood on his hands” and was a “supporter of genocide.”
Protesters blew an air horn in her ear while restricting her movements, according to the news agency. At one point, they grabbed her notebook and ripped out several pages, the news agency reported.
“The clashes escalated, and Rheingold was pushed over the edge by an unidentified assailant who was hiding behind various keffiyehs that had been put up to block the view. After about an hour, Rheingold managed to escape the melee, but only after the protesters had left the square,” the Free Press wrote.
The rally, billed as a “citywide day of rage against Gaza,” began in Union Square and made its way to downtown Manhattan, where protesters shouted anti-Israel slogans such as “Long Live the Intifada” outside the Nova music festival exhibition center, which commemorates the victims of the murder and rape at the music festival nightmare.
The shocking act sparked criticism from elected officials across the political spectrum.
“Anti-Israel bigots are protesting the Nova Music Festival exhibition, which seeks to commemorate the lives of hundreds of young Jewish people brutally murdered by Hamas on October 7th.NumberCongressman Ritchie Torres of the Bronx I tweeted.
“These bigots deny the Nova massacre and call it ‘Zionist propaganda.’ Denial of October 7 is merely a modern mutation of anti-Semitism’s ancient DNA. Anti-Semites who deny, downplay or defend Hamas’ barbarism are showing themselves to be barbarians.”
