When Remembrance Becomes a Riot
NYC on Fire: Pro-Palestinian Mob Shuts Down Manhattan on October 7 Anniversary
Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators shut down parts of Manhattan on the October 7 attack anniversary, sparking controversy over displayed symbols and clashing with memorial events.
The two-year anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel was marked in Manhattan by a massive, highly visible pro-Palestinian demonstration that shut down swaths of Midtown and drew immediate condemnation for its aggressive rhetoric and use of symbols associated with terror groups.
The rally, organized by the activist group Within Our Lifetime (WOL), drew thousands of participants who heeded the call to "Flood New York City for Gaza," a phrase echoing Hamas’s own name for the 2023 massacre, the "Al Aqsa Flood."
Corporate America Branded Complicit
The activists, who included students participating in coordinated walkouts from the CUNY system, centered their march on institutions they accuse of enabling Israel’s military campaign. Key targets included:
The group’s messaging centered on demanding an immediate end to the war, honoring "martyrs" in Gaza, and calling for the total liberation of "Palestine."
Controversial Symbols Spark Outrage
The most significant point of controversy was the prominent display of flags and symbols linked to terror groups, particularly given the sensitive timing of the anniversary. Video footage from the event showed flags of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) waving at the front of the march.
The sequence of taped events also included a Palestinian flag bearing the image of deceased Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades spokesperson Abu Obeida and protest announcements featuring the inverted red triangle, a marker used by Hamas in its military propaganda videos.
The visibility of these symbols provoked swift outrage from pro-Israel groups and Jewish organizations, who cited the event as a distressing endorsement of violence that escalated the already heightened tensions in the city.
Dueling Events in a City Under Guard
The WOL-led march occurred under an intense security presence from the NYPD, which had heightened security around religious and cultural sites citywide.
The demonstration stood in stark contrast to the simultaneous "Circle of Unity" memorial held in Central Park, where thousands of New Yorkers gathered to mourn the nearly 1,200 victims of the October 7 attacks and call for the release of the approximately 48 hostages still held captive in Gaza. The opposing events underscored the deep and painful social divisions that continue to mark the two-year milestone of the conflict.