Pro-Palestinian protesters glued themselves to 6th Avenue in New York City on Thursday, temporarily blocking the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade's floats were reportedly stopped for about 20 minutes.
The protesters, wearing white jumpsuits with words including “colonialism,” “militarism,” and “ethnic cleansing.”
The protesters were calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and chanted slogans including “Not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israel’s crimes.” Protesters also laid on the street while others poured fake blood on them.
The New York Police Department says several of the protesters were taken into custody. The number of protesters who blocked the parade numbered around 30, but dozens more could be seen standing in the parade crowd holding Palestinian flags.
US media reported that parade watchers heavily booed the protesters, but that is not apparent in videos of the event posted on social media. They show a mixed reaction from the crowd, followed by somewhat louder boos as the protesters are being carried away by police.
After the parade concluded, at least 400 protesters also gathered inside Madison Square Park, before marching towards Macy’s in Herald Square, shutting down traffic, US media reported.
Protest group Seven Circles Alliance took credit for the action.
“Seven Circles Alliance, a coalition of climate, social justice and political activists, disrupted the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to bring attention to the ongoing ethnic cleansing and genocide of Palestinians,” an Instagram post by the group reads. “Seven Circles demands that the United States cease its support for Israel’s occupation of Palestine and calls for both the United States and Israel to recognize the ICC (International Criminal Court).”
A member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts also held up a Palestinian flag from a float during the parade.
Israel has been bombing Gaza since a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7 killed roughly 1,200 people according to the Israeli government. Twenty days later, Israel began a ground invasion of Gaza. At least 12,000 Palestinians, including more than 6,000 children have been killed in Israeli airstrikes and their ground operation.
On Friday morning, a ceasefire lasting four days is scheduled to begin and will include a prisoner exchange.