There was no shortage of tense moments during the traditional Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City. In fact, for the second year in a row, pro-Palestinian protesters were among the crowds on the streets of the Big Apple.
A group of activists sprang into action shortly after 9 a.m., attempting to stop the parade just as the huge Ronald McDonald balloon was being floated. The protesters created a cordon along the street, attempting to stop the celebratory parade, and displayed a number of banners bearing the words “Don’t celebrate genocide!”.
Before the police intervened, some citizens tried to drive the pro-Palestinian demonstrators away, thus allowing the demonstration, which was held in pouring rain, to resume. “Get out of here, go to hell,” shouted more than one person in the direction of the activists. Before the situation could escalate, NYPD officers intervened, hurling themselves at the small group of protesters, who in turn kept shouting “Free Palestine!”.
Some of them were thrown to the ground by officers, their faces against the asphalt, before being handcuffed and taken away. Others, however, who were more “cooperative,” were simply pulled up and taken to One Police Plaza. A total of 25 people ended up in handcuffs. According to media reports, the activists were not part of any particular association: they were in fact “an autonomous anti-genocide group.”
This year’s protests were less violent than those in 2023, when more than 40 pro-Palestinian protesters ended up in handcuffs after trying to stop the Thanksgiving parade. New York authorities knew that the activists might return again this time. Mayor Eric Adams himself, however, had declared earlier in the week “I really want to take the moment to tell those grinches that believe they are going to disrupt the parade that it is not going to happen”.
“Interrupting the Thanksgiving Day Parade to protest a conflict overseas is disrespectful and accomplishes absolutely nothing”, said Kayla Mamelak, spokeswoman for City Hall.
Before reaching the main New York Thanksgiving event yesterday, protesters displayed banners along the Queensboro Bridge, on which was written, “Free Palestine, Free Everyone.” The small group of activists also issued a statement, published by independent journalist Talia Jane on X, in which they said, ”On the holiday where this fascist empire commemorates its first but not only genocide, a group of autonomous organizers remind us that fascism here or anywhere is linked to genocide here and everywhere. The only solution is global Intifada.”
