Anti-Israel protesters boast online about arrests, creating havoc at NYC bridges and tunnel: ‘Perfectly executed’
Anti-Israeli activists are crowing online about the havoc their bridge-and-tunnel protests wrought on the Big Apple on Monday, praising the disruptive effort that inconvenienced scores of New Yorkers as “perfectly executed.”
The “Shut it Down for Palestine” protests — which flooded three bridges and the Holland Tunnel in Lower Manhattan in the morning — were reportedly led by groups including the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, Jewish Voice for Peace and the Palestinian Youth Movement.
A post on the Palestinian Youth Movement’s Instagram afterward boasted that the lefty demonstrators shut Manhattan down and racked up more than 400 arrests — much to the delight of their commenters, who were apparently nonplussed at how many headaches the disruptive event caused regular working Joes.
“We jam the arteries of the city and we reclaim the bridges and tunnels — which are funded by our taxes and fares — in solidarity with Palestine and all who are immiserated by the forces of capitalism and imperialism,” the post read.
A user named Warkentinjill responded, “Perfectly written and perfectly executed, great job everyone.”
Another user, ellygab, wrote that the demonstrators were “putting words into action.
“So powerful,” the commenter wrote, ending the message with the “Free Palestine” hashtag.
But it seems the protesters’ math was a little off: The NYPD reported 209 arrests, while the Port Authority Police Department brought in 125 people, for a grand total of 334 arrests, sources said.
Many New Yorkers were furious over the protests, including an exasperated driver who was trying to turn from the Bowery onto the Manhattan Bridge during the mayhem.
A clip of the wild encounter was shared on Instagram by Writers Against the War on Gaza, and it shows the man losing his cool as protesters blocked his way.
“You’re disrupting traffic, you idiots! You can’t do that, that’s against the law!,” the man shouted before getting out of his Honda SUV and shoving bodies away from his hood.
“Get away from my car, I have a daughter in Brooklyn!” the man screamed. “Get out of the way! I have to get home!”
Of course, the Instagrammers took a different tack to the event — and reveled in New Yorkers’ misery.
“This was truly spectacular to witness,” user amstecco wrote.
“Please let us know if there are bail funds to contribute to. And THANK YOU!!”
