The NYPD thwarted hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters who descended on Manhattan Saturday by partially blocking the Brooklyn Bridge — while also preventing the activists’ plans to “flood” JFK Airport in Queens.
About 800 people marched down Broadway from Union Square, chanting “NYPD, KKK, IDF they’re all the same,” “Cease fire now,” and “From the river to the sea Palestine will be free.”
Cops stopped the demonstrators by blocking their path on the bridge and forcing them to use the public walkway, or face arrest.
Video shows several protesters in zip ties being led to police vehicles at the Manhattan protest. Police sources said 10 protesters were arrested in Brooklyn and cops handed out 108 vehicle summonses in Queens.
Meanwhile, protesters intent on overwhelming John F. Kennedy Airport in Queens were largely stymied by the NYPD – whose officials had vowed to get tougher on the practically daily demonstrations.
A caravan of protesters, hanging out of cars and waving flags, headed to the airport only to be met with heightened police activity and heavy traffic delays along the route.
“These guys ain’t making it in,” an officer at JFK with a team of Port Authority Police Department officers told The Post of the caravan. “We have five vehicles stopped on the Belt.”
A 25-foot assembly area across from the arrivals terminal sat mostly empty, awaiting Hamas sympathizers as only about 60 protesters made it to the airport by late-afternoon.
People arriving to pick up loved ones or catch flights themselves complained of snarled traffic.
“Oh my God,” Maria Gonzales, 44, of Coney Island, said. “So much traffic. They had cops everywhere. I just want to pick up my husband.”
Brooklynite Melanie Chacha, 22, spent 30 minutes waiting for her mother to show up to fetch her after she arrived in New York from Panama.
“I’m sorry for the people dying over there, but this is not the place for a protest,” said Chacha, who was toting a carry-on and tiny lap dog.
Threats of protests also caused confusion for hard-working Uber drivers and chauffeurs.
“This is not helping,” said Forhed Sunny, 26, a limo driver from Ozone Park. “I drive rich people that are not from New York City. This could cause them to complain.”
One airport employee was frustrated about being late for his shift as a construction worker at JFK.
“This is f—ing insane,” fumed Michael Oliveira, 39, who said he missed an Airtrain to his job because of the commotion.
A group of travelers, shouldering high end ski equipment, hustled to make it out of the cold and on to their flight. They said, “cops had the Van Wyck shut down, something’s definitely going on.”
Protests have sprung up almost daily in the city over Israel’s bombing in the Gaza Strip that was meant to wipe out Hamas but has killed thousands of people.
NYPD officials have pledged to get tougher on the gatherings leading up to the planned JFK protest.
“Trying to shut down an airport? You will be the one getting shut down! We respect peaceful protest but will not tolerate lawlessness,” warned NYPD Assistant Commissioner Kaz Daughtry in an X posting Friday. “The NYPD stands ready to ensure that our airports are operational and that hardworking New Yorkers going on vacation are not inconvenienced.”
LINK: Rally in Union Square leads to several arrests, video shows (nypost.com)
