Times Square erupted into violence on Thursday afternoon as a group of pro-Hamas demonstrators, many masked and draped in keffiyehs, clashed with NYPD officers amid a broader rally against U.S. support for Israel. Eyewitness videos captured protesters hurling objects at police, shattering storefront windows, and repeatedly chanting "Allahu Akbar" while surging through the crowded tourist hub.
The unrest began around 2:30 p.m. ET during a permitted "Flood Times Square for Palestine" event organized by a coalition of pro-Palestinian groups, including Within Our Lifetime and the New York City Democratic Socialists of America. What started as a sit-in blocking Broadway quickly escalated when officers moved to clear the intersection at 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue. Protesters responded by throwing bottles, traffic cones, and construction debris, injuring at least three officers with minor cuts and bruises, according to NYPD statements.
Social media footage shows masked individuals in keffiyehs, advancing on a line of riot-geared police, one shouting "Allahu Akbar" as a barricade is toppled. "This wasn’t a protest. It was violent extremist intimidation." No arrests have been reported yet, but the NYPD has deployed additional resources, including mounted units and pepper spray, to contain the crowd.
