In a shocking turn of events, a Democratic rally in New York City, held in support of Vice President Kamala Harris, was disrupted by anti-Israel activists on Wednesday.
The rally, which featured Mayor Eric Adams as a speaker, was not only interrupted but also saw the activists vandalizing the venues of the subsequent afterparty, causing significant damage to a nearby restaurant.
As reported by The Post Millennial, the protesters, donned in keffiyehs, set off smoke bombs and engaged in acts of vandalism. An NYPD vehicle was defaced with the words "Free Gaza," and a sign reading "No Votes for Bombala's Genocide" was plastered on a restaurant window. The NYPD swiftly intervened, resulting in the arrest of at least 14 individuals.
The rally, held in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood of Harlem, was disrupted while Mayor Eric Adams was addressing the crowd. The activists were subsequently removed from the venue, according to the New York Post. Freedom TV was present at the scene, capturing footage of the chaos.
Despite the anticipation built around the presence of Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, neither attended the event, leading to disappointment among some attendees. Instead, Harris was in Boston at the time. The rally was attended by notable figures such as City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.
In her address to the crowd, Gov. Hochul expressed her enthusiasm, stating, I am so energized and so excited about heading off to Chicago and bringing home a victory. Mayor Adams, on the other hand, emphasized the importance of voting, saying, Make sure you vote, and added, Everyone thats on this stage right now comes from different political spectrum, we dont always agree on the same thing. But the ability to know when you are in a real fight this is the real fight.
The chaos did not end with the rally. Some of the protesters stormed the nearby Bird in Hand restaurant on Broadway and West 146th Street, causing extensive damage. The owner, Brian Felicetta, estimated the damage to be in the thousands of dollars. He expressed his frustration, saying, "Nothing really came of it besides us, a small business, mom-and-pop business in New York, Im gonna be the one waking up in the morning fixing all this."
The NYPD confirmed the arrest of at least 14 activists. Video footage from the scene showed the police taking the violent activists into custody, while the mob circled the officers, blasting horns and setting off smoke bombs.
The owner of the vandalized restaurant, Brian Felicetta, told The New York Post that the damages were substantial, amounting to a few thousand dollars. This unfortunate incident occurred just days before the Democratic National Convention is set to begin in Chicago, raising questions about the security measures in place for such events and the potential for further disruptions.
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