NYC Protesters Target Black Friday Shoppers and ICE

AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews

Yesterday was Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when retailers of all stripes traditionally put on their best sales. In New York City a group of pro-palestinian/anti-Israel protesters decided to hold demonstrations outside of major retailers in Manhattan. This makes perfect sense if you consider that most of these left-wing protesters, in addition to being anti-Israel, are also socialists who hate capitalism.

Advertisement

They started their day by targeting an Apple store.

Then they marched down the street, getting some choice words from New York shoppers.

And then they went inside a Zara store, shouting and chanting. They were pushed out by police.

Anti-Israel agitators boycotting Black Friday stormed a ritzy Fifth Avenue store in New York City Friday, disrupting shoppers and leaving four people arrested on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

About 70 rowdy protesters wearing keffiyehs blew whistles and waved Palestinian flags when they charged into the Zara store around 12:30 p.m., chanting, β€œThey fund the genocide,” to startled shoppers as police rushed to remove them from the Midtown fashion retailer, according to police and video footage.

β€œZara is a genocidal company,” one demonstrator yelled, as others shrieked, β€œFree Palestine.”

Video from the scene:

How does Zara fund the genocide? I was curious so I looked it up and according to the BDS movement website the main issue is that Zara opened a big store in Tel Aviv in 2025. Anyway, they are trying to punish the brand (which is owned by a Spanish company, for not taking a stand against Israel. There is of course a ceasefire taking place in Gaza right now, but the protesters don't seem to have noticed. 

Advertisement

That was yesterday. Today the same group (or one very similar) is back to protesting ICE in New York City. A group of people learned ICE agents were gathing at a parking structure and decided to surround the entrance.

While the NYPD was still thinking about doing something, they blocked th entrance.

Eventually, the NYPD arrived with some metal barricades.

There was a lot of shoving as police tried to set up barricades and protesters just tried to shove back.

Advertisement

Eventually they cleared a small area in front of the garage but vehicles still couldn't leave.

At some point, a dumpster full of construction trash came by and dumped everything in the street. NYPD had to clear some of it so their truck full of barricades could leave.

Activists were warned they would be arrested if they continued to block the streets. Some of them didn't get the message.

Eventually, ICE vehicles were able to leave but it sounds like whatever enforcement action they were planning had been called off.

Advertisement

Inevitably, this means a bunch of criminals with multiple arrests and deportation orders will remain on the streets. This is not good for the city obviously but the left-wing activists don't care about that.

Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy Hot Air's conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.

Join Hot Air VIP and use the promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership!


Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Trending on HotAir Videos

Advertisement
Mitch Berg 10:00 AM | November 29, 2025
John Stossel 8:30 AM | November 29, 2025
Advertisement
Ed Morrissey 6:30 PM | November 28, 2025
Advertisement
Advertisement