Pro-Palestinian Protests in New York: A Closer Look at the Union Square Demonstration and the FIT Encounter

Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the Fashion Institute of Technology in Chelsea on Tuesday night, resulting in arrests. The demonstration began in Union Square, where hundreds called for a cease-fire as Israel entered the southern Gaza city of Rafah. As the march continued through the city streets, police closely followed behind, leading to a handful of arrests. Despite this, most of the protest remained peaceful.

After leaving Union Square, the protesters moved to FIT where they gathered around an encampment. The exact number of arrests made during this demonstration is currently unknown, but news reports indicate that part of the encampment was dismantled. Celeste Faison, executive director of Movement for Black Lives, noted that pro-Palestinian demonstrations in New York have grown in recent weeks due to developments in the conflict and imagery from college campuses. Protest organizer Layan Fuleihan emphasized the importance of political pressure on the system and the power of collective organizing.

On Tuesday evening, Mayor Eric Adams announced a reward for information about vandals who targeted a World War I statue on the Upper East Side. Police suspect that the graffiti was the work of pro-Palestinian demonstrators who had previously disrupted the Met Gala. More than two dozen individuals were arrested during that event, where clashes with police, American flag burning, and attempts to breach barricades occurred. Journalist Ali Bauman, who joined CBS2 News in 2016, reported on these events as part of her general assignment reporting duties.