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Pro-Palestinian protesters outside Biden NYC fundraiser hurl smoke bombs, clash with cops

Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News on

Published in News & Features

NEW YORK — Scores of pro-Palestinian protesters hurled smoke bombs and fought with police as they tried to disrupt a deep-pocketed fundraiser for President Joe Biden on the heels of his poor performance in his first debate with former President Donald Trump, officials said Saturday.

Waving Palestinian flags and holding up signs reading “Joe Biden — retire b—!” protesters converged on the Hammerstein Ballroom on West 34th Street near Eighth Avenue in Midtown at about 6:30 p.m. Friday, where dozens of Biden supporters shelled out up to $500,000 a table for the fundraiser.

Protesters gathered at Madison Square Park at East 26th Street before heading north and then west to the Hammerstein Ballroom, police said. Cops stopped the protesters about a block away.

As protesters threw smoke bombs, cops clashed with demonstrators, taking 37 people into custody, an New York City Police Department spokesman said.

No injuries were reported. Videos posted online show cops in riot gear and demonstrators, many either wearing surgical masks or obscuring their faces with headscarves, shoving each other in the smoke.

The protest was organized by the group Within Our Lifetime, which distributed online fliers recommending that demonstrators “confront Genocide Joe” on his support of Israel during the ongoing Hamas war.

 

“Genocidal politicians are not welcome in New York City,” the fliers read. “Genocide Joe and anyone who supports him or his genocide in Palestine will be met with protest everywhere they go.”

Biden, 81, left the event within two hours and never came face-to-face with the protesters.

Of the 37 protesters taken into custody, 25 received summonses for disorderly conduct, cops said. Ten others were given desk appearance tickets on charges of obstructing government administration.

Protester Alexander Taam, 38, was arrested for assault and reckless endangerment for hurling an object into the large crowd, cops said. A second protester, Salim Moataz, was charged with resisting arrest for pulling another protester away from police as the officers tried to take him into custody.

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