More than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters demanding a ceasefire in Gaza were arrested in New York City after demonstrations blocked traffic on several bridges around Manhattan and the Holland Tunnel on Monday.
About 200 protesters gathered around 9 a.m. for demonstrations at the tunnel and the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges, the NYPD said.
Photos showed protesters blocking entrances to the tunnel and bridges sitting in traffic lanes with their arms connected to each other via PVC pipes.
Video showed police using saws to cut through PVC pipes to separate protesters.
PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS TRY TO DISRUPT NEW YEAR’S FESTIVITIES IN NEW YORK CITY, BOSTON
Police use an angle grinder to make arrests as protesters block the Brooklyn Bridge during a demonstration demanding a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas on Monday in New York. (AP Photo/Andrés Kudacki)
Footage appeared to show officers arresting some protesters. Port Authority police said 120 protesters were arrested in the tunnel. It was not immediately clear how many arrests were made on the three bridges.
Actress Susan Sarandon was caught on camera by CBS News at the Manhattan Bridge demonstration. Sarandon was recently fired from her talent agency after making anti-Jewish comments at a previous protest.
Actress Susan Sarandon joined a pro-Palestinian protest in New York City, where more than 100 people were arrested, on Monday, January 8, 2024. (WCBS/NNS)
“The right to protest does not give the right to block bridges and tunnels,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams during his weekly media appearance. “But Hamas must be destroyed. They are [a] terrorist organization.”
TORONTO POLICE RESPONSE TO VIRAL VIDEO OF OFFICERS DELIVERING COFFEE TO ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTER
Protesters block the Brooklyn Bridge during a pro-Palestinian event demanding a ceasefire in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Monday in New York. (AP Photo/Andrés Kudacki)
Protesters were cleared and all three bridges and the tunnel were reopened at 11:30 a.m., although police said to expect residual traffic delays.
Pro-Palestinian protesters have blocked traffic on major highways and bridges in major US cities to demand a ceasefire in the months after Israel launched a military response to the deadly October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas.
Pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets on New Year’s Eve, causing commotion in American cities, including NY and Boston, as revelers celebrated the arrival of the new year.
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A massive group of pro palestinian protesters in Chicago confronted lawmakers in their homes on December 23 and temporarily closed an interstate highway to express support for Palestinians in Gaza.
Protests have also been seen at major airports, including Los Angeles International, John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
