Park East Synagogue Protest Draws Chants of “Intifada” as Police Separate Clashing Groups

Late last night, about 200 pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside Manhattan’s Park East Synagogue, shouting calls for an intifada and confronting Jewish attendees arriving for a Nefesh B’Nefesh event. Police maintained barricades around East 67th Street as tensions rose between the demonstrators and a smaller group of Jewish counter-protesters.

The demonstration marked another night of escalating anti-Israel protests targeting Jewish spaces in New York. According to witnesses, the main group filled the block outside the building’s entrance, shared with a Day School, and heckled community members walking into the synagogue.

Protesters chanted, “There is only one solution, intifada revolution,” “No peace on stolen land,” and “We don’t want no two states, we want ’48,” a phrase widely understood as calling for the elimination of Israel. NYPD officers held the lines as activists from groups including Within Our Lifetime and Jewish Voice for Peace led the chants. No arrests were reported.

During the demonstration, one organizer urged the crowd to escalate pressure on Jewish institutions. “It is our duty to make them think twice before holding these events. We need to make them scared,” he said, drawing cheers from the group.

A smaller group of Jewish counter-protesters stood opposite, separated by metal barricades and police officers. Members of both sides exchanged insults, shone harsh flashlights, and accused each other of harassment. Some in the counter-protest blasted horns and whistles, trying to drown out the chants of the anti-Zionist demonstration.

The rally was titled “No Settlers On Stolen Land” and was even promoted by pro-Palestinian groups from Columbia University. In its social media advertisement, PAL-Awda described Nefesh B’Nefesh as “an affiliate of the Israeli government and the Jewish Agency for Israel, mainly responsible for the recruitment of settlers to Palestine from North America.”

ADL New York condemned the demonstration saying: “It is disgusting to see this display of blatant antisemitism outside of Park East Synagogue in NYC. We are in touch with law enforcement to ensure the safety of the community as the protesters harass New Yorkers with chants of ‘intifada revolution’ and other unrelenting threatening verbal assaults. No one going to a house of worship or walking the streets of #NYC should face such hatred.”

Reacting to the demonstration, Rep. Elise Stefanik criticized Gov. Kathy Hochul, writing, “This is Kathy Hochul’s New York. When New Yorkers were looking for strong leadership from our Governor, instead of standing against antisemitic hate, Hochul chose to endorse a raging Antisemite for Mayor of NYC putting Jewish families at risk. Look at what is happening.”

Throughout the night, police maintained a heavy presence along the block as the two sides continued shouting across the barricades. No major injuries were reported.