The New York City Police Department (NYPD) confirmed on Saturday that 34 individuals were detained following a pro-Palestinian demonstration at the Brooklyn Museum.
The museum reported instances of artwork damage and verbal and physical harassment of its security personnel by the protesters.
The demonstration, which saw hundreds of participants, took place on Friday afternoon. Protesters marched to the museum, erected tents in the lobby, and hoisted a "Free Palestine" banner from the rooftop of the building. The NYPD intervened to make arrests following these actions.
Scuffles broke out among the crowd outside the museum, with NYPD officers resorting to tackling and punching some protesters. In retaliation, a section of the demonstrators threw plastic bottles at the officers and hurled insults. Other protesters peacefully displayed banners, waved Palestinian flags, and chanted loudly on the steps of the grand Beaux Arts museum, the city's second-largest.
The NYPD stated that the 34 detainees were being processed, and charges were being determined.
Taylor Maatman, a spokesperson for the museum, revealed in a statement that the institution had to close an hour earlier due to concerns over people's safety and the preservation of the art collections. "Regrettably, there was damage to existing and newly installed artwork on our plaza, and our public safety staff were physically and verbally harassed," Maatman said.
The demonstration began on Friday afternoon across the street from the Barclays Center, home to the NBA's Brooklyn Nets. The protesters, banging drums and chanting, then proceeded to the museum, approximately a mile away.
The organizers, including the group Within Our Lifetime, urged supporters to "flood" and "de-occupy" the museum. They demanded that the museum disclose and divest from any investments linked to Israel's actions in Gaza.
Social media videos depicted museum guards attempting to secure the doors against the surging crowd, with demonstrators finding alternative entry points.
Within Our Lifetime reported on social media that its chair, Nerdeen Kiswani, was "targeted and violently arrested" by the police.
New York City has witnessed hundreds of street demonstrations since the conflict between Israel and Hamas commenced in October.
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