An anti-Israel protest broke out in a primarily Orthodox Jewish neighbourhood in New York City’s Brooklyn on Tuesday (Feb 18) night.

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According to police and media reports, one person was arrested as dozens chanted and waved Palestinian flags in the protest, which took place in Borough Park, an area with a large Orthodox population. According to The Times of Israel, it was led by anti-Israel activist group Pal-Awda.

The demonstration was organised to protest against what they claimed was Palestinian land being sold off to the Jewish state, according to the X post shared by the group.

The protesters were heard chanting “settlers settlers go back home, Palestine is ours alone,” and “Zionists go to hell.”

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“How many kids did you kill today?,” the protesters chanted to the beat of a snare drum, while some flashed their middle fingers at the Jewish people in the neighbourhood, the report added.

Pro-Israel group countered protest

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Pro-Israel demonstrators also gathered in the area along with a crowd of locals, carrying the Israeli flag. The two groups were separated with barricades.

The two groups also engaged in a brawl as the sounds of screams can be heard in the background, and police intervened to separate the crowd, according to videos shared on X.

Local leaders condemn demonstration

Local leaders criticised the protest on Monday (Feb 17) night when plans for the controversial protest emerged on social media. Many called for police and the city to stop the protest.

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Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres slammed protesters for targeting Borough Park “simply because it is Jewish.”

“It should come as a shock to no one that the pro-Hamas mob targeting Jews and promising to ‘flood’ Boro Park has descended into violence,” Torres posted on X Tuesday (Feb 18) night. He also shared a video from the protest showing the two groups fighting.

“Violence is not a bug but a feature of the so-called ‘Free Palestine’ movement, which has no desire to free Palestinians from Hamas,” he added.

Activist group End Jew Hatred also condemned the protest, calling out other city leaders for failing to “stand up” against the anti-Israel protesters.

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“Hamas apologists and supporters, cloaked in the tired and well-worn pretense of supporting ‘Palestine,’ showed their true nature as violent thugs looking for any reason to attack Jews,” the group said in a statement.

According to police, charges are pending against the one protester who was taken into custody.

Several demonstrations organised by anti-Israel activists have taken place in New York City since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by the Palestinian terror group Hamas on the Jewish state.

(With inputs from agencies)