Anti-Israel Protesters Set Off Smoke Bombs, Light Flares outside NYC Nova Music Festival Exhibition

A mob of anti-Israel demonstrators gathered Monday outside the Nova Music Festival Exhibition in downtown Manhattan, where they protested the exhibit for bringing awareness to the atrocities that Hamas committed against hundreds of victims at the Israeli festival on October 7.

Protesters set off smoke bombs and lit flares in front of the exhibit on Wall Street, according to video footage on social media. They chanted “Long Live the Intifada” and “Free Palestine,” among other antisemitic slogans. Police officers tried breaking up the crowd, ordering them to move away from the site.

The rowdy demonstration coincided with a separate anti-Israel protest at the Union Square subway station, where a “Long Live October 7th” banner was held. Protesters also tried forcing the metro station to shut down by rushing the entrance, but were stopped by police.

Three individuals were taken into custody for engaging in disorderly conduct by entering the subway station without paying the fare, an NYPD spokesperson told National Review. The police department did not comment on any potential arrests made at the Nova exhibit’s protest.

Both anti-Israel protests occurred on what Within Our Lifetime organizers called a “citywide day of rage for Gaza.” The pro-Palestinian group bragged about taking over the subway and trying to shut down the Nova Music Festival Exhibition. The latter goal failed.

The exhibit, titled “October 7th 06:29am — The Moment Music Stood Still,” will now remain open until June 22 following Monday’s protest. It was previously scheduled to end Sunday after first opening on April 21.

“Due to the overwhelming demand and excitement around the @novaexhibition today… we have decided to extend one more week in NYC until the 22nd now just to make sure everyone has a chance to visit and see for themselves,” music mogul Scooter Braun, who brought the exhibit to life, announced on Instagram.

“And for those who chose to protest against innocent music lovers who were massacred… WE WILL DANCE AGAIN… and you are all invited,” he wrote. “Thank you for the inspiration. It is more important than ever that we fight for our shared humanity.”

The harrowing display seeks to recreate the exact moment that the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel was cut short by Hamas terrorists, who killed 364 people that day. In addition to the murders, some female attendees were raped during the massacre.

The exhibit features artifacts from the massacre, including burned cars, bullet-ridden porta potties, and abandoned personal items. Ticket proceeds from the event go toward funding the commemoration of victims, rehabilitation of survivors, and support of the festival community.

Braun condemned Monday’s demonstration in front of the exhibit’s venue in New York City.

“I don’t understand why protesting a memorial for innocent music lovers who were raped and butchered and kidnapped helps,” Braun said in an Instagram story. “Go see the @novaexhibition and see the truth instead of standing outside listening to yourself.”

Many others, including Representatives Mike Lawler (R., N.Y.) and Ritchie Torres (D., N.Y.), joined the exhibit’s chief organizer in denouncing the anti-Israel protesters for their actions.

Braun sought to shake visitors out of their apathy toward the October 7 massacre, which claimed about 1,200 lives, and hopes to bring the Nova Music Festival Exhibition to other cities in the U.S.

“The amount of misinformation, the amount of hatred, the amount of noise to distract people from what took place was so incredibly overwhelming,” he told Israeli outlet i24NEWS last month. “That is why I am standing here at this exhibit in New York City and hoping to bring it to other places like LA so other people can see it.”