NEW YORK (AP) – A sea of hundreds of protesters filled the main concourse of New York City’s famed Grand Central Terminal during the evening rush hour, chanting slogans and unfurling banners demanding a cease-fire as Israel intensified its bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
Wearing black T-shirts saying ‘Not in our name’, at least 200 of the demonstrators were detained by New York Police Department (NYPD) officers and led out of the train station, their hands zip-tied behind their backs.
The NYPD said the protesters were taken briefly into custody, issued summonses and released, and that a more exact number of detentions would be available.
Some protesters hoisted banners as they scaled the stone ledges in front of leader boards listing departure times. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority asked commuters to use Penn Station as an alternative. After the sit-in was broken up by police, the remaining protesters spilled into the streets outside. The United Nations (UN) General Assembly approved a nonbinding resolution calling for a humanitarian truce in Gaza leading to a cessation of hostilities.
It was the first UN response to Hamas’ surprise October 7 attacks and Israel’s ongoing military response.
