NYPD mobilizes massive presence as thousands march up 6th Avenue
NEW YORK, US - NOVEMBER 24: Thousands of Pro-Palestinian demonstrators hold banners as they take over New York City Streets after gathering at Washington Square Park on Black Friday in New York, United States on November 24, 2023. They demand for a p
NEW YORK CITY - Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters descended on Midtown Friday, marching from Washington Square up Sixth Avenue. The NYPD dedicated a large police presence and resources to keep the peace.
The protestors swarmed around Black Friday shoppers, chanting, "While you’re shopping bombs are dropping!" demanding their attention.
"I mean people want to shop peacefully, you know? And then you have this," complained one shopper.
NEW YORK, US - NOVEMBER 24: Thousands of Pro-Palestinian demonstrators hold a huge Palestinian flag as they take over New York City Streets after gathering at Washington Square Park on Black Friday in New York, United States on November 24, 2023. The
The rally was organized, with online flyers circulating in big black letters, "Shut it down". The meeting spot was Washington Square Park at 10 a.m.
"We are writing history right now," said one protestor. "We are. And when history is done and written. We’re going to be on the right side and they are not. because it’s more of us than it is of them."
As the crowd swelled, tensions swirled. The NYPD, both uniformed and in plains clothes, keeping a close eye on the protestors, and most likely informed they intended to march to Herald Square.
NEW YORK, US - NOVEMBER 24: Thousands of Pro-Palestinian demonstrators hold a huge Palestinian flag as they take over New York City Streets after gathering at Washington Square Park on Black Friday in New York, United States on November 24, 2023. The
"All these protests force people to have dialogue and conversations about it," said another protestor. "You can ask the people at the Macy’s day parade if they think it accomplished something on. A bunch of people from other states got to watch what the world is going through right now."
The view from SKYFOX show how large the crowd has become by early afternoon, marching down 6th Avenue. The Black Friday shoppers just blocks ahead, had no idea what was coming.
NEW YORK, US - NOVEMBER 24: Thousands of Pro-Palestinian demonstrators hold banners and Palestinian flags as they take over New York City Streets after gathering at Washington Square Park on Black Friday in New York, United States on November 24, 202
"I think it’s gotten a little out of hand, and I don’t know what to say, but it needs to stop," said the shopper.
FOX 5 reached out to the NYPD to find out how many officers it takes to cover a protest like this, how many of these officers are working overtime hours, and where these officers would have been in the city had they not had to be stationed here. The NYPD said they could not answer us because the situation was so fluid.
"I personally believe this is not the right way to act on this situation," another protestor said. "Because this behavior will not help."