Tensions boiled over Tuesday evening as pro-Palestinian demonstrators clashed with NYPD officers outside Park East Synagogue on the Upper East Side during a protest against "The Great Israel Real Estate Event 2026."
Hundreds of protesters, many waving Palestinian flags and wearing keffiyehs, gathered near the historic synagogue at East 67th Street. They chanted slogans including “Palestine will never die,” “Stop the sale of stolen land,” and “Israel should not exist,” targeting the event promoting property sales in Israel and Judea and Samaria.
A heavy NYPD presence established barricades and a security perimeter blocks around the synagogue, the first major test of the city's new buffer zone law protecting houses of worship. Protesters repeatedly pushed against police lines and barriers, leading to shoving matches and physical confrontations. Videos show officers pushing back crowds attempting to breach the perimeter.
Dozens of pro-Israel counter-protesters also assembled at the scene, leading to dueling chants between the groups. Police kept the sides separated.
No arrests or serious injuries were immediately reported, though some officers faced physical resistance.
