More than 30 anti-Israel protesters were arrested at a rally in Manhattan on Thursday night after a hateful group burned an American flag and one man snatched another’s Israeli flag, police said.
Police said 37 people were handcuffed at the “4th of July Flood for Gaza” demonstration, organized by the radical anti-Israel group Within Our Lifetime, which began in Washington Square Park and gradually made its way to Hudson Yards just in time for the iconic Macy’s fireworks display.
Police said Osman Belhamdounia, 36, was arrested just after 7 p.m. after he allegedly snatched someone’s Israeli flag on the corner of Washington Square East and Washington Place.
The circumstances leading up to the theft were unclear as of Friday afternoon.
Police said he was charged with petit larceny and grand larceny.
Later, around 8:30 p.m., Nicholas Cross, 33, was arrested at the intersection of 8th Avenue and West 19th Street after he allegedly attempted to snatch a flag from a 17-year-old boy, authorities said.
Police said the boy was holding onto the flag, but Cross was unable to grab it from him.
He was charged with attempted grand larceny, authorities said.
Seven others were arrested on charges including obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, disturbing the peace and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, police said.
Police said 28 people received summonses.
At the same rally, a group was seen burning an American flag in Washington Square Park, as a cameraman wearing a keffiyeh hat was seen dangling his lens close to capture the desecration.
The flag was displayed next to a poster depicting Trump and Biden wearing crowns, with “Death to All Kings” written in large block letters underneath.
The poster is an apparent reference to the Supreme Court’s ruling earlier this week granting the US president “absolute immunity” from prosecution for his “official duties” while in office.
The New York Police Department had no arrest records related to the flag burning.
And in a Greenwich Village park, crowds were heard chanting “Over 40,000 dead, Democrats, your hands are red” and “Israel, we know you, you imprison our children,” according to a video posted to the Within Our Lifetime X account.
The protesters came to a final halt at West 28th Street and 11th Avenue.
“We are raising the flag of revolution and rising up to flood New York for Gaza,” organizers wrote on X, along with a video of a large group of protesters gathered, prominently displaying a Palestinian flag and a sign that read “Stop Police City, Free Palestine,” with fireworks bursting in the background.
“We stand against the NYPD’s ongoing crackdown to disrupt our 4th of July celebrations and make it clear this is our city,” the caption continued.
“Bombs are falling as you watch!” protesters chanted, along with “Israel bombs, America pays! How many children have been killed today?”
