Anti-Israel Rioters Block Pride Parade in New York City, Vandalize Floats

In one of the final celebrations of “pride month” in New York City on Sunday, a clash broke out between the pro-gay parade participants and anti-Israel rioters who blocked the parade route and vandalized several floats.

As reported by Fox News, the rioters could be seen sitting in the street to block the progression of the parade, chanting various anti-Semitic slogans such as “Free Palestine” and “from the river to the sea.” Several of them could be seen using spray-paint to vandalize floats, while others climbed over barricades and threw fake blood at the displays. Dozens of rioters were ultimately arrested by police, who used zip-ties to handcuff them.

“It is certainly a more active presence this year in terms of protest at Pride events,” said Sandra Perez, executive director of NYC Pride. “But we were born out of a protest.”

This year’s pride demonstration was the 54th annual parade in New York City, with the very first one taking place in 1970. This year’s pride theme was “reflect, empower, unite.”

This year’s “pride month” saw a high number of protests and riots against various pride demonstrations carried out almost exclusively by anti-Israel agitators, who have been protesting and rioting across the country ever since the October 7th terrorist attacks against Israel by Hamas.

A similar attempt was made by about a dozen protesters to block the 40th annual St. Louis Pride parade on Sunday, but they were swiftly cleared out of the street by police.

“Protesters refuse to leave the street despite numerous orders to disperse,” the St. Louis Police Department declared in a statement on X. “Protesters will be arrested.”

Other instances of anti-Israel rioters attempting to stop pride parades took place in Philadelphia, Boston, and Denver, among other locations.

Prior to June, the FBI released a statement warning that pride demonstrations could become a more likely target of foreign terrorist organizations and sympathizers in the United States.

“The FBI and DHS are issuing this Public Service Announcement to provide awareness to the public of foreign terrorist organizations (FTOS) or their supporters potential targeting of LGBTQIA+-related events and venues,” the FBI statement warned. “Foreign terrorist organizations or supporters may seek to exploit increased gatherings associated with the upcoming June 2024 Pride Month.”