11 ceasefire activists arrested after blocking NYPD from responding to bomb threat

On Saturday, pro-Palestinian protesters blocked an NYPD vehicle that was responding to a bomb threat. 

The New York Police Department said 11 protesters were arrested and taken into custody over the incident. 

Officers were dispatched to reports that a grenade had been found inside an Uber at West 42nd St and 7th Avenue around 4:00 pm on Saturday, per Fox 5 NY. 

Video footage of the incident shows pro-Palestinian demonstrators swarming an NYPD police cruiser, completely blocking the vehicle's ability to move. NYPD riot officers responded to the scene and made arrests. 

NYPD Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry slammed the protesters on X and said: "Happy Saturday to all! Except the people who thought it was a good idea to block an NYPD ESU vehicle on the way to a bomb threat call. They will be spending their Saturday where they belong - in jail!" 

In a follow-up post, Daughtry released audio of NYPD's response to the citizen's report about allegedly seeing a grenade. The NYPD commissioner said that while the grenade was "thankfully" fake, the real danger on Saturday was the "protesters." 

"This is audio of the NYPD response to a citizens call where they thought they saw a grenade. Thankfully it was fake. But you know what was real? The danger caused by “protesters” who blocked our emergency response!" wrote Daughtry. 

Michael Kemper, NYPD Chief of Transit, slammed the incident as "reckless" and called for all involved to be held accountable for their actions. 

"Blocking a street, preventing an emergency vehicle from passing is super reckless, extremely dangerous, and illegal. Those who do so endanger people’s safety & lives. Appropriate accountability & consequences is a critical deterrent — setting the tone that this is unacceptable," Kemper said on X. 

The protest started early on Saturday in Washington Square Park and ended in the evening in Times Square.