33.7 F
New York
Monday, January 27, 2025

Display of Hamas & PFLP Flags at Naqba Day Violent Protest in Bklyn Draws Backlash

- Advertisement -

Related Articles

-Advertisement-

Must read

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Display of Hamas & PFLP Flags at Naqba Day Violent Protest in Bklyn Draws Backlash

Edited by: Fern Sidman

In a shocking display of solidarity with terrorist organizations, a protester was seen proudly waving the Hamas flag at a Nakba Day rally in Brooklyn’s Bay Ridge neighborhood over the weekend. According to a report that appeared on Sunday in The New York Post, the presence of the green and white flag of Hamas, a Palestinian terror group, alongside the flag of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a Marxist-Leninist group also designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department, has sparked outrage among local residents and lawmakers.

The disturbing show of support for these terror organizations drew immediate and fierce backlash from various quarters. Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, expressed his indignation at the demonstrators. “They’re criticizing police, but they’re for marching terrorists?!” he exclaimed, while speaking with The Post,  His remarks highlight the irony of protesters who criticize law enforcement while supporting groups known for their violent activities. As was indicated in The Post report, at least a dozen anti-Israel protesters were arrested during the violent demonstration, which was marked by clashes with NYPD officers.

Rabbi Potasnik further condemned the protesters, telling The Post, “They’re criticizing the protectors, but they’re commending the murderers?!”

The local residents of Bay Ridge were equally disturbed by the display. Dr. Sami Nagar, an Egyptian native, expressed his discomfort when interviewed by The Post during a Norwegian parade in the neighborhood. “If this flag is about his country, it is OK, like a Norwegian [flag],” Nagar explained to The Post. “But Hamas is a very controversial organization, and in this time, that’s not OK. To wave a Hamas flag on American soil is unacceptable for any reason.”

Nagar’s sentiments reflect a broader concern about the implications of such displays. The support for terrorist organizations not only offends those who have been directly affected by terrorism but also raises questions about the values and intentions of the demonstrators.

The Nakba Day protest and the subsequent backlash come at a time of heightened tensions and violence in the Middle East, particularly following the October 7th invasion of Israel by Hamas. The display of the Hamas and PFLP flags in Brooklyn is seen by many as an endorsement of the violence and terrorism that these groups perpetrate.

Mary Owens, a Bay Ridge resident, also expressed her frustration over the demonstration that devolved into a chaotic melee, particularly the presence of the Hamas flag. “It’s infuriating,” she told The Post, describing the ongoing noise and disruption caused by the protest. “It doesn’t stop. The drums, the noise.”  The report in the Post indicated that Owens also criticized the local government’s handling of the situation, stating, “Our mayor has no control. They are protesting a war that is thousands of miles away. They couldn’t even point out Gaza on the map.”

The New York Police Department (NYPD) faced criticism for their response to the protest. Videos circulated online showing officers using force to detain demonstrators, which led to more than a dozen arrests. As per the Post report, some footage depicted police pinning down and even striking protesters, actions that have drawn public outcry and accusations of excessive force.

City Councilman Justin Brannan (D-Brooklyn) voiced his concerns to The Post over the police response. “Bay Ridge is home to the largest Palestinian community in New York City,” he explained, noting that Nakba Day demonstrations have occurred annually for the past decade without incidents of violence. “I saw no evidence of actions by protestors yesterday that warranted such an aggressive response from NYPD,” Brannan insisted, when speaking to The Post. He further described the police response as “pre-emptive, retaliatory and cumulatively aggressive.”

The protest has not only highlighted tensions within the community but also drawn commentary from controversial figures. Ember Ollum, a City Council staffer known for her provocative statements during the George Floyd protests, weighed in on the arrests. According to the Post report, Ollum had previously urged Black Lives Matter demonstrators to attack police and hurl bottles at them, making her a contentious figure in local politics. Noted in The Post report was that Ollum took to social media, writing, “I don’t remember this many helicopters and violent arrests when we close our avenues every other week during the summer for festivals. If people carry flags, suddenly pedestrians in the street are a threat?”

The protest, which commemorated Nakba Day—the day marking the purported displacement of Palestinians during the creation of Israel in 1948—featured a display of flags, including those of Hamas, leading to intense reactions from various community members and officials.

A Palestinian man at the protest, who chose to remain anonymous, commented on the diverse symbols displayed, saying to The Post,  “Yeah, I saw the protester carrying a Hamas flag. I also saw people with swastikas and Israeli flags. What’s the difference?”

City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, a Ukrainian-born Jew representing a neighboring district with a significant Jewish population, supported the NYPD’s actions. According to The Post report, she stated, “Proactive policing is not ‘aggressive,’ it is necessary in the face of unhinged individuals who proudly wave terrorist flags on American streets while hurling both insults and objects at our cops.”

 

balance of natureDonate

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest article

- Advertisement -