Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters arrested during Wall Street demonstration

Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters failed to disrupt the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, despite chants of "As Gaza is bombed, Wall Street booms," outside of the lower Manhattan building.

None of the approximately 500 protesters, wearing red shirts, made it inside the building or disrupted trading, but some chained themselves to security fences around the NYSE on Broad Street.

About 206 people were arrested after they breached the barrier, according to the New York Police Department. The protesters, who started demonstrating at about 9:30 a.m. EDT, dispersed about three hours later.

Protesters with signs, "Jews for Palestinian Freedom" and "Fund FEMA Not Genocide," said they were rallying against Israel's bombing of Gaza.

"Let's be clear once and for all: the United States is not arming Israel to protect Jews. The United States is arming Israel for its own profit and control of the region," Jewish Voice for Peace, the Jewish-led pro-Palestinian group that organized Monday's protest, wrote in a post on X along with video showing protesters being carried away by NYPD.

Let's be clear once and for all: the US is not arming Israel to protect Jews. The US is arming Israel for its own profit and control of the region. pic.twitter.com/m4SVCOu083 — Jewish Voice for Peace (@jvplive) October 14, 2024

"The reason we're here is to demand that the U.S. government stop sending bombs to Israel and stop profiting off of Israel's genocide against Palestinians in Gaza," said Beth Miller of Jewish Voice for Peace.

"Because what's been happening for the last year is that Israel is using U.S. bombs to massacre communities in Gaza while simultaneously weapons manufacturers on Wall Street are seeing their stock prices skyrocket," Miller added.

Israel launched its war in Gaza, just over a year ago after Hamas militants' surprise attack in Israel. The Oct. 7, 2023, attack killed more than 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage. Israel's ongoing war in Gaza has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.

Israel has also vowed revenge after Iran retaliated for the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by firing nearly 200 ballistic missiles in a limited attack earlier this month.

"Endless war, profits soar, arms embargo now!" protesters chanted Monday in New York.

"As Jews, many of us are descendants of those who survived genocide. Our ancestors taught us to never be bystanders in the face of injustice," Jewish Voice for Peace wrote in a post on X.

"We are all responsible for taking action to change the course of history and stop this genocide that is being waged in our name."