Hundreds of protesters packed the main concourse of the popular Grand Central Terminal station in Mnhattan during rush hour on Friday afternoon, chanting slogans and displaying signs to demand a ceasefire as Israel intensified its bombing of the Gaza Strip.
Dressed in black T-shirts reading “Jews say ceasefire now” and “Not in our name,” at least 200 of the protesters were detained by the NYPD and led out of the station with their hands held behind their backs. . According to the NYPD, the protesters were briefly arrested, booked and released.
Some displayed their signs as they climbed the stone railings in front of the departure time panels. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority asked travelers to use Penn Station as an alternative. After the police broke up the sit-in, the rest of the protesters took to the streets.
“Hundreds of Jews and friends have taken over Grand Central Station in a historic sit-in to call for a ceasefire,” activist group Jewish Voice for Peace said on social media.
The scene was reminiscent of last week’s sit-in at the Capitol in Washington, where Jewish activist groups — including Jewish Voice for Peace and If Not Now — entered a congressional office building. More than 300 people were then arrested for illegal demonstration.
Israel stepped up its airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Friday, cutting off internet service and nearly all communication with the 2.3 million people living in the besieged Palestinian enclave. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says more than 7,300 people have died, of whom more than 60% are minors and women.
The Israeli military’s announcement that it was “expanding” its ground operations in the territory signaled the approach of a full invasion of Gaza, where it has vowed to crush the Hamas insurgent group for its bloody incursion into southern Israel three weeks ago. More than 1,400 people lost their lives in Israel during the assault, according to the government, and at least 229 were taken hostage and taken to the Strip.
The United Nations General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution calling for a “humanitarian truce” in Gaza leading to the cessation of hostilities. It was the first UN response to the surprise Hamas attack of October 7 and the ongoing Israeli military reaction.
