Two groups of pro-Palestinian protesters temporarily disrupted the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Over 30 people were taken into custody, and four were arrested and charged.
The parade paused when roughly 20 activists ran onto the street with a large sign that read “Genocide Then Genocide Now,” “Free Palestine,” and “Land Back.” They chanted, “Not another nickel, not another dime. No more money for Israel’s crimes.” On the sides behind the guardrails, supporters held up the Palestinian flag and chanted “Free Palestine.”
Elsewhere in the parade route, a different group held another large sign that said “Liberation for Palestine and Planet” with watermelon and sunflower art, symbols for Palestine and Ukraine. The protesters wore white jumpsuits with words like “Racism,” “Colonialism,” “Capitalism,” “Consumerism,” “Militarism,” and “Ethnic Cleansing” written across the chest. The demonstrators drenched themselves in red liquid and poured it on the ground to symbolize blood. Some of the demonstrators glued themselves to the ground.
A total of 34 individuals were taken into custody, the NYPD told National Review. Four individuals were arrested, and 30 individuals received criminal-court summonses for trespassing.
Jay Waxse, a 34-year-old male, was arrested and charged with resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, trespassing, and disorderly conduct.
Natalia Scollo, a 29-year-old female, was arrested and charged with resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, trespassing, and disorderly conduct.
Sarah Al Azzawi, a 26-year-old female, was arrested and charged with obstructing governmental administration, disorderly conduct, and harassment.
Alvin Dan, a 32-year-old male, was arrested and charged with obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest. This year, conservative Jewish journalist Elad Eliahu sued a Brooklyn bar for discrimination when Dan, a bartender there, allegedly called Eliahu a “Zionist fascist” and refused to serve him.
Prior to the holiday, nearly 40,000 people signed a petition condemning the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade as “liberal nonsense” because it would feature self-described “non-binary” performers from Broadway musicals.
“The non-binary and transgender extravaganza on display this Thanksgiving will be brought to you by Macy’s during their annually sponsored Thanksgiving Day Parade,” reads the petition organized by One Million Moms, a division of the American Family Association. “Unless they are forewarned about it, this year’s holiday parade will potentially expose tens of millions of viewers at home to the liberal LGBTQ agenda.”
Macy’s did not change its planned programming in response to the petition, and a spokesperson further noted that the department-store chain works with the NYPD and city, state, and federal law enforcement agencies each year for the Thanksgiving Day Parade.