Anti-Israel Protesters Clash With Residents Of Predominantly Jewish New York Neighborhood

Anti-Israel groups gathered in the predominantly Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Borough Park, Brooklyn last night, where clashes broke out with counter-protesters and Jewish residents.

Police struggled to keep hundreds of protesters and counter-protesters separated behind barricades, though several videos online show Jews getting assaulted by the anti-Israel protesters.

The protesters were seen on video chanting, “Settles settlers go back home, Palestine is ours alone,” “Zionists go to hell,” and, “We don’t want no Zionists here,” in the freezing temperatures of New York City, The Times of Israel reported.

Protesters reportedly shouted at residents, including children, calling them “filthy Zionist a**holes” and saying “You’re so gross.”

The anti-Israel group Pal-Awda organized the protest, which 30 other groups endorsed, in response to an Israeli real estate event.

One anti-Israel protester was arrested for a suspended license after he drove recklessly near the crowds, according to Boro Park 24 News. Another 42-year-old man was arrested after punching a 61-year-old in the face, according to police.

The protest began at 5:30 p.m. and ended around 9:00 p.m.

“Flood Boro Park to stop the sale of stolen land,” Pal-Awda wrote on Instagram, referencing Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israeli civilians, codenamed Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.

“In the face of Trump’s outrageous plans to force Palestinians out of the Gaza strip and in the wake of the displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank in the past month, it is more important than ever that we show up in the masses to oppose the sale of stolen land,” the group added on Instagram.

New York City Council Minority Whip Inna Vernikov accused the protesters of being “antisemitic, anti-American, terror-loving, Hamas-supporting lunatics” who “are violently attacking Orthodox Jews under the guise of ‘protesting a land sale.’”

My team @ProudJewIzzy and I are in touch with several individuals on the ground in Boro Park where antisemitic, anti-American, terror-loving, Hamas-supporting lunatics are violently attacking Orthodox Jews under the guise of “protesting a land sale.” Never since the pogroms of… pic.twitter.com/FK6T2guwTR

— Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (@InnaVernikov) February 19, 2025

Vernikov added that she was proud of the Jews and allies who stood up to the protesters.

The counterprotest was organized by Betar, a Jewish group that encourages Jews to fight back and defend their communities. Betar is inspired by 20th century Zionist Zeev Jabotinsky who preached Jewish self-defense.

“They will no longer attack synagogues or hold encampments with impunity,” Betar posted to X about the incident. “We prevented a planned pogrom. Nazis won’t March on Shuls in peace.”

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) said it should not come as a shock that the protest turned violent.

“Violence is not a bug but a feature of the so-called “Free Palestine” movement, which has no desire to free Palestinians from Hamas,” Torres posted on X.