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Anti-Israel Protesters Shut Down Grand Central Station Amid Escalating Demonstrations
By: Fern Sidman
According to a report in The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday, anti-Israel protesters successfully shut down New York City’s Grand Central Station, as claimed by the demonstration’s organizer, Within Our Lifetime (WOL). The demonstration was part of a larger response to a global strike called by Palestinians regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The Jerusalem Post reported that pro-Hamas demonstrators wearing keffiyehs entered the iconic American landmark waving Palestinian flags and beating drums. The Betar Zionist Youth Movement issued warnings via X (formerly Twitter) for Jewish individuals to avoid the area, claiming that protesters were masked and armed.
WOL leader Nerdeen Kiswani explained in social media posts that the New York Police Department had shut down entrances to the station, which she claimed was an attempt to prevent people from hearing their message, as was explained in The Jerusalem Post report. Kiswani stated that law enforcement had tried unsuccessfully to block protesters from entering the station. Interestingly, The Jerusalem Post noted that WOL’s X account simultaneously boasted that “Pro-Palestine protesters shut down entrances to Grand Central.”
“We just wanted to platform our message to one of the largest transportation hubs in the world,” Kiswani posted on X, as reported by The Jerusalem Post. Videos shared by Kiswani showed protesters chanting “shut it down,” with at least one demonstrator holding a sign calling to “abolish” Israel.
Protesters, however, didn’t limit their activities to Grand Central Station. Demonstrations also took place outside the Egyptian Consulate and the United Nations building, where the pro-Hamas, pro-terror activists called for Arab leaders to take action against Israeli military operations in Gaza.
According to video evidence documented by The Jerusalem Post, protesters marching past the Egyptian mission chanted, “Arab leaders make it right, join the people, join the fight!” In another WOL video taken in front of the UN building, protest leaders led the crowd in chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine is almost free.” The Jerusalem Post notes that the video was captioned with calls to “globalize the intifada” from New York to Gaza, a sentiment that was also displayed on banners carried by some protesters.
Outraged New Yorkers tossed garbage from their windows onto pro-Hamas demonstrators below.
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TELEGRAM 📷https://t.co/x9yrB4rD4X pic.twitter.com/YyNzhnpbxd— The Jewish Voice (@TJVNEWS) April 8, 2025
According to the information provided in The Jerusalem Post report, Kiswani claimed via X that the NYPD had threatened the group with arrest if they demonstrated at the Israeli consulate.
The formidable cadre of pro-Hamas activists also gathered in Times Square, chanting “while you’re shopping, bombs are dropping.” Video evidence reviewed by The Jerusalem Post showed at least one protester wearing a Hamas bandana, and another wearing a Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine bandana. The Jerusalem Post notes that both organizations are designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the US State Department.
In their coverage of the events, The Jerusalem Post cited Kiswani’s claims that protesters faced violence from above, with heavy objects allegedly thrown from building windows. These projectiles reportedly included garbage water and a bag of feces. Kiswani emphasized that these objects could have caused serious injury and damaged a car windshield. She further alleged that police assaulted her when she attempted to report these incidents.
“This is what being Palestinian or even supporting Palestine looks like in New York: Zionists can commit acts of violence with impunity,” Kiswani said, according to The Jerusalem Post. “Palestinians and our allies can’t even gather without facing repression.”
🚨 #BREAKING: Pro-Palestine protesters have illegally taken over Grand Central Terminal in NYC https://t.co/cCYYlMnvnh
— The Jewish Voice (@TJVNEWS) April 8, 2025
The report in The Jerusalem Post notes that Grand Central Station has become a repeated focal point for anti-Israel protests since the October 7 attacks. The publication mentioned that in the same month as the Hamas-led violence in southern Israel, protests by Jewish Voice for Peace in the station led to a closure of the transportation hub.