Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade sees anti-Israel protesters arrested for blocking procession

Protesters inserted themselves into the parade at W. 55th Street and Sixth Avenue, blocking the Ronald McDonald balloon and eliciting boos and jeers from the angry crowd that had not come out for a protest but a celebration of Thanksgiving, per the New York Post. Parade watchers yelled at the protesters and demanded that the group of around two dozen get out of the way.

Video showed the protesters sitting on the ground in the front of the parade waving a huge banner that stated: “Don’t celebrate genocide!” The NYPD took swift action as they shackled many who did not want to move as they continued to shout, “Free, free Palestine!”

Some of the protestors submitted to their arrest and complied as police told them to stand up and walk away with them. Others resisted arrest by lying on their stomachs and forcing police to pull them to their feet or carry them away. Those holding the banner refused to let go and ended up wrestling with police officers before being handcuffed and secured on the ground with their wrinkled banner.

The crowd was apparently approving of the police action as many started chanting “USA! USA! USA!” The entire incident lasted for about five minutes and the Ronald McDonald balloon was soon on its way.

Mayor Eric Adams (D-NY) had already indicated that he was not in the mood for another protest at this year’s parade. In the previous parade, some demonstrators had actually glued their hands to the pavement so they couldn’t be moved without injury to their skin. “I really want to take the moment to tell those grinches that believe they are going to disrupt the parade that it is not going to happen,” Adams said Wednesday night.