Pro-Palestinian protest floods Williamsburg Bridge
NEW YORK - Pro-Palestinian protesters appeared to flood roadways Monday afternoon on the Williamsburg Bridge, another demonstration disrupting everyday New York City life as the Israel-Hamas war rages in Gaza.
According to an Instagram post from Within Our Lifetime, a group with more than 114,000 followers, the demonstration began at 2:30 p.m. at North 8th Street and Bedford Avenue, a bustling commercial district in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
By 4:30 p.m., protesters began traversing the Williamsburg Bridge to Manhattan.
In video provided to FOX 5 NY, chants of "New York did nada … long Live the Intifada" and "five, six, seven, eight, Israel is a terror state" could be heard.
SkyFOX over the scene Monday afternoon.
In SkyFOX video, the demonstration appeared to have blocked traffic on the bridge's westbound lanes.
Demonstrators block Manhattan Bridge
Late last month, hundreds of Jewish protesters demanding a permanent cease-fire in Gaza shut down the Manhattan Bridge in both directions.
The protest came as a travel nightmare for drivers.
Traffic came to a complete standstill on one of the busiest travel days as many New Yorkers headed home after the busy Thanksgiving holiday.
The NYPD said several people had been arrested.
The New York City protests are held as Israel’s military has called for more evacuations in southern Gaza as it widens its offensive aimed at eliminating the territory’s Hamas rulers.
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Israel-Hamas war: Airstrikes on Gaza resume as cease-fire officially expires
Israel’s war with Hamas resumed after a weeklong truce expired, with each side blaming the other for the resurgence of hostilities.
The Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said the death toll in the territory since Oct. 7 has surpassed 15,500.
Israel said it targets Hamas operatives and blames civilian casualties on the militants, accusing them of operating in residential neighborhoods.
Associated Press wire services helped contributed to this report.