The protest began outside of the United Nations, where New Yorkers gathered to demand an end to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. We began by confronting the hypocrisy of the United Nations as it commemorated World Health Day, highlighting the evisceration of maternal and newborn healthcare in Gaza as bombs continue to rain down on mothers and babies. Yet, as we took to the streets to fight for Palestinian lives and justice, our health and safety were directly threatened by zionist violence.

WOL Chair Nerdeen Kiswani, who is eight months pregnant, was on the front lines of this protest — standing up in defense of Palestinian mothers and babies alike. Yet, despite being visibly pregnant and at great personal risk, the NYPD physically assaulted her while she was attempting to highlight the unfolding zionist violence that was unfolding right before our eyes.

As we began marching from the United Nations to Grand Central, it was clear that we were headed toward the Israeli Consulate General. But as we approached, the NYPD deliberately blocked our path. They forced us to turn right onto East 43rd St. Street, kettling us into a narrow corridor — a practice forbidden by the Department’s settlement agreement with the ACLU. The crowd was trapped, and there was no way out. They threatened arrests, and we were left with no choice but to move in the direction they dictated. This wasn’t crowd control — it was a trap set up for us.

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Not even when police officers themselves were hit by the projectiles. Instead of taking action against the assailant, the NYPD continued to target us for protesting a genocide paid for with our tax dollars.

When Within Our Lifetime Chair Nerdeen Kiswani exposed the hypocrisy of the NYPD’s inaction, she was physically assaulted by an officer. Nerdeen is eight months pregnant, a fact the NYPD knew as she had announced it at the start of the protest. Yet, they still chose to assault her for highlighting the NYPD’s crackdown on Palestine and protection of zionist agitators.

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But the NYPD’s double standard isn’t new — their officers have not hesitated to enter buildings in order to target Palestinian organizers and activists in the past.

In Bay Ridge, a Palestinian neighborhood in Brooklyn, during WOL’s annual Nakba day rally on May 18, 2024, an officer scaled a building’s fire escape, attempting to enter a private home without a warrant because a speaker had been placed outside a window to amplify our voices. Similarly, on February 10, 2024, police swarmed into a building across from the Brooklyn Museum after a banner was displayed from the roof, attempting to arrest those inside.

Meanwhile, when a Zionist throws feces and bleach at us from a high-rise, the NYPD says, “We can’t do anything.”

It’s clear. The police are not here to protect us.

They are here to protect Zionist terror.

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Throughout the entire protest, the NYPD had a drone in the sky, monitoring and surveilling us from above. This is an extension of the NYPD’s surveillance program on Muslim and Arab communities, which they claim was “shut down” when the NYPD’s Demographics Unit was disbanded, yet we have seen our communities targeted as part of the crackdown on Palestine.

However, when it comes to tracking a person hurling dangerous projectiles from a luxury high-rise, they couldn’t use their drone to identify the assailant? The surveillance state only seems to function when it’s aimed at us, not when it’s time to hold Zionists accountable for their violence.

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This kind of violence isn’t new—it mirrors what happens in Hebron in the occupied West Bank every day. Zionist settlers have been throwing sewage, human waste, garbage, and wine onto Palestinian homes and markets for years. These settlers are allowed to do so with impunity, while Palestinians live under nets just to survive the constant rain of filth.

What happened yesterday in Manhattan is no different.

From Hebron to NYC, Zionists attack from above—and the system is built to protect the perpetrators. Meanwhile in Gaza, Palestinians have U.S.-made bombs and missiles raining down on them, massacring entire families and destroying whole neighborhoods for the past 18 months.

Despite all of the violence, the assaults, and the threats of arrests, we did not back down. The NYPD failed to prevent us from making our message heard. We still made our way into Grand Central Station, despite their attempts to block us. We reached thousands of people, and we sent a clear message: No matter how much intimidation and repression they launch at us, we will continue to fight for Gaza.

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Yesterday wasn’t just about one protest—it was a larger message. Zionists can commit acts of violence with impunity.

Palestinians and our allies face arrest and repression for demanding justice.

But we will not be silenced.
We will not be intimidated.
We will not back down.
We will return—louder and stronger.
From the United Nations to Grand Central—shut it all down.

#WithinOurLifetime #GlobalStrikeForGaza #ZionismIsTerrorism #HebronToNYC #NYPDProtectsZionists

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Despite the barricades, despite the intimidation, despite all their attempts to silence us, we took over the terminal. Our voices rang out through the heart of Manhattan. We showed that no matter how hard they try to crush this movement, we will not be stopped. Not by violence. Not by censorship. Not by fear.

One particular banner that the NYPD decided to steal and crumple, read “not another child, not another hospital” so we made sure those words echoed throughout the main concourse.

This protest was a message: We are everywhere. We are organized. And we are just getting started.

While Zionists throw bleach and garbage at us from luxury balconies, while NYPD assaults pregnant women and threatens mass arrests, we keep moving forward. They tried to trap us, and we broke through. They tried to silence us, and we made the city listen.

This is the power of the people. This is what solidarity looks like. This is how we stop the world for Palestine.

Shut it all down for Gaza. Until liberation 🇵🇸

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🇵🇸 EARLIER TODAY: Within Our Lifetime joined a rally in front of CUNY central in defense of our students. Protestors chanted, “ Over 100,000 dead, CUNY your hands are red!” The Department of Homeland Security has revoked the visas of at least 17 CUNY students, putting them at risk of detention and deportation by ICE. The state is escalating its attacks on our universities and vulnerable communities. CUNY’s vague promises of “guidance and assistance” are NOT enough. #ICEOUTOFCUNY #SANCTUARYCUNY

Today’s ruling from an immigration judge in Louisiana ordering Mahmoud Khalil’s deportation must not paralyze us. It must move us to action. When we say “Free Mahmoud, Free Them All” we don’t just mean all of the students in ICE detention, we mean every last Palestinian prisoner from the U.S. to Palestine, from Mahmoud to Shukri Abu Baker and Ghassan Elashi of the Holy Land 5 to Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, to the 10,000 Palestinians in the occupation’s prisons.

This Thursday on Palestinian Prisoners Day we take to the streets to reject the U.S. and the Zionist entity’s imprisonment of Palestinians for daring to oppose genocide and injustice. Join us.🇵🇸

#FreeThemAll

🇵🇸 STAND WITH PALESTINE & anti-genocide protesters
🗓️ Tuesday, April 15
⏰ 1PM Press Conference | 2PM Rally
📍 E 43rd St between 2nd & 3rd Ave – Outside The Summit NYC

On Monday April 7, during a protest for Gaza, a Zionist attacker hurled bleach, feces, and heavy objects from The Summit NYC onto the crowd while holding an Israeli flag.

One object smashed a car windshield. Toxic materials splashed onto children, elderly people, and even NYPD officers themselves, yet it resulted in no arrest, no charges, not even a basic investigation.

Instead, the NYPD flew a surveillance drone over protesters, not to identify the attacker, but to spy on the victims.

Zionist violence is protected. Meanwhile, pro-Palestine protesters are abducted and deported by the government.

The media ignored it. The city covered it up. Not a single politician condemned this hate crime, yet they routinely rush to condemn pro-Palestinian speech.

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