Israel war: Grand Central Station in New York closed as protesters take over entrance

New York metro closed the entrance to Grand Central Station, and police began making arrests during a demonstration calling for a ceasefire in the war between Hamas and Israel.

Thousands of protesters from Jewish Voice for Peace descended into Grand Central Station on Friday to hold an “emergency sit-in demanding a ceasefire in Gaza,” the organization posted on X.

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“WE’RE TAKING OVER THE GRAND CONCOURSE. WE’RE REFUSING TO ALLOW A GENOCIDE BE CARRIED OUT IN OUR NAMES. CEASEFIRE NOW! NEVER AGAIN FOR ANYONE!” the group posted.

Around 7 p.m., New York Police Department officers began arresting protesters. Officers could be seen using zip ties to restrain demonstrators. A witness posted that the NYPD used a long-range acoustic device, typically used by police, to warn all remaining protesters that they face arrest on charges of criminal trespassing.

The Metro-North Railroad posted on X that the entrances to Grand Central at 105 E 42 St., Vanderbilt Ave., and the Kitty Kelly Ramp at 42nd St. would be exit-only.

Protesters could be seen standing on top of the ticketing machines holding signs. Several of the signs said “Ceasefire” or “Never again for anyone.”

Protesters belonging to Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow, an American Jewish group protesting Israel’s presence in the West Bank, were arrested last week after assembling inside the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C.

On Wednesday, 49 IfNotNow protesters were arrested outside the offices of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

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This is the latest series of protests occurring across U.S. cities and college campuses since the war between Israel and Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist organization, began after Hamas launched an attack against the Jewish state on Oct. 7. Some Democrats have joined protesters like those in New York calling for a ceasefire and an end to the “occupation” of Israel.

The Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza said Thursday that 7,326 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s counterstrikes, 2,913 of whom are minors. Israel is reporting that over 1,400 people have been killed as of Friday, according to the Associated Press.