On one of the busiest travel days of the year, a caravan of pro-Palestinian protesters snarled traffic around John F. Kennedy International Airport and later LaGuardia Airport.
Video obtained by Fox News Digital showed a protester with a bullhorn shouting, “NYPD, KKK, Israel Defense Forces, they're all the same!”
The Port Authority subsequently closed all entrances to JFK Airport for those without boarding passes. Within Our Lifetime, the group that organized the caravan, said AirTrain service was closed and cars could not enter the terminal without proof of a ticket.
Palestinian supporters drive in a convoy near JFK Airport during a protest in New York City on January 1, 2024. (Adam Gray/Getty Images)
The group said the airport was “swarming with law enforcement of all kinds,” adding that “organizers were forcibly removed from Terminal 4.”
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Videos posted on social media showed dozens of vehicles waving Palestinian flags, honking their horns and shouting at police officers.
Palestinian supporters drive in a convoy near JFK Airport during a protest in New York City on January 1, 2024. (Adam Gray/Getty Images)
New York City Police Department Traffic Commissioner Philip Rivera said the caravan then headed to LaGuardia Airport.
“Right and center lanes closed, heading towards LaGuardia Airport,” he tweeted.
“If anyone is flying out of JFK today, please make plans to get to the airport in advance,” he said. “There are protests planned today and there will be delays. We don't want anyone to miss their flight!”
LaGuardia had warned travelers to allow extra time to arrive at the airport due to “police activity.”
Late Monday, the group called on supporters to gather at the offices of El Al, “the Zionist group's largest airline,” for a protest at 100 Wall Street in Manhattan.
Fox News captured footage of about 150 demonstrators chanting chants, holding signs and waving flags.
City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov derided the caravan as a “Hamasnik” that accomplished nothing but “further irritated” New Yorkers.
“They were shut down by PAPD and prevented from entering JFK. They were also prevented from entering LGA. They are now on their way to the non-existent @ELALUSA office,” Vernikov tweeted. “Today was definitely a victory in support of their 'Liberation of Palestine'. Big victory here. Huge!”
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The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey told FOX News Digital that it is “working with local, state and federal partners to ensure an uninterrupted travel experience at JFK Airport.”
New York City, January 1, 2024: New York City Police Department officers drive down a side road as Palestinian supporters drive in a convoy near LaGuardia Airport, targeting JFK and LaGuardia airports with protests. blockade. (Adam Gray/Getty Images)
PAPD has not made any arrests. AirTrain service has since resumed and access restrictions to Terminal 4 have been lifted.
The caravan comes less than a week after another group of pro-Palestinian protesters temporarily blocked entrance roads to New York and Los Angeles airports.
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Demonstrations stopped cars on the outskirts of New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and some travelers set off on foot to bypass congested roads, as well as at Los Angeles International Airport. According to police, a total of 62 people were arrested during the two protests.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
