An anti-Israel protest escalated [1] into violence Tuesday night as demonstrators flooded Borough Park, a predominantly Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn.
Protesters, chanting anti-Zionist slogans and waving Palestinian flags, clashed with pro-Israel demonstrators and local residents, leading to at least one arrest, according to police reports.
The demonstration was organized by Pal-Awda, an anti-Israel activist group, which claimed it was protesting the sale of Palestinian land to Israel.
The group announced the protest on X Monday afternoon, calling on supporters to disrupt a real estate event taking place in the area.
šØšµšø TONIGHT AT 6PMā¼ļø
FLOOD BORO PARK TO PROTEST STOLEN LAND REAL ESTATE EVENT TUE. 2/18 AT 6 PM
šļø TUE. 2/18
š3611 14TH AVE BROOKLYN, NY 11218
š 6:00 PMEndorsed by over 30 orgs!!!
Across the US and Canada realtors continue to sell stolen PALESTINIAN property onā¦ pic.twitter.com/7vabbcj1ko [2]
ā PAL-Awda NY/NJ (@PAL_Awda) February 18, 2025 [3]
As the protest intensified, demonstrators were heard chanting, āZionists go to hellā and āHow many kids did you kill today?ā to the beat of a snare drum, according to The Times of Israel.
Some protesters directed obscene gestures at Jewish residents as tensions escalated.
One of the protest organizers shouted through a megaphone, āThere is only one solution, intifada revolution,ā while others joined in chanting, āSettlers, settlers, go back home, Palestine is ours alone.ā
As the demonstration continued, pro-Israel counterprotesters and local residents carrying Israeli flags gathered on the other side of police barricades.
Videos shared on social media showed the moment tensions boiled over, with the opposing groups converging and a physical altercation breaking out.
Police officers quickly intervened, forcefully separating the groups.
NOW:Fights break out during Israel Real Estate event in Borough Park Brooklyn, police rush to separate Pro-Palestine and Pro-Israel protesters outside of the venue.
Video by @peterhvideo [4] @FreedomNTV [5] [email protected] to license pic.twitter.com/T7kHADO6zq [6]
ā Oliya Scootercaster š“ (@ScooterCasterNY) February 19, 2025 [7]
Authorities confirmed that one individual was taken into custody, though charges are still pending.
BREAKING:
A pro-Hamas protester just tried to carry out a car-ramming attack against Jews in Boro Park, in Brooklyn.
Itās the largest Jewish neighborhood in the U.S. https://t.co/Hv6e7f1odi [8]
ā VisegrĆ”d 24 (@visegrad24) February 19, 2025 [9]
The demonstration sparked strong reactions from local leaders, many of whom had called on city officials and law enforcement to prevent the protest from targeting Borough Parkās Jewish community.
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) denounced the demonstration, stating, āIt should come as a shock to no one that the pro-Hamas mob targeting Jews and promising to āfloodā Boro Park has descended into violence.ā
He added, āViolence is not a bug but a feature of the so-called āFree Palestineā movement, which has no desire to free Palestinians from Hamas.ā
It should come as a shock to no one that the pro-Hamas mob targeting Jews and promising to āfloodā Boro Park has descended into violence.
Violence is not a bug but a feature of the so-called āFree Palestineā movement, which has no desire to free Palestinians from Hamas. pic.twitter.com/RLZZEb4GFg [10]
ā Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) February 19, 2025 [11]
The activist group End Jew Hatred also criticized city leaders for not taking stronger action to prevent the protest. In a statement, the group said, āHamas apologists and supporters, cloaked in the tired and well-worn pretense of supporting āPalestine,ā showed their true nature as violent thugs looking for any reason to attack Jews.ā
Since the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, New York City has seen numerous demonstrations organized by anti-Israel activists.
The latest protest in Brooklyn came just hours after Hamas confirmed the deaths of three Israeli hostagesāKfir and Ariel Bibas, ages 2 and 5, and their mother, Shiri Bibas.
The terrorist group announced that their remains would be returned to Israel this week.
The Bibas family had become a symbol of the atrocities committed during the October 7 attack, and their deaths added to growing tensions surrounding ongoing protests in the U.S. and worldwide.