Chaos in NY Jewish neighborhood, as protests against real estate sales in Israel turn violent

In a predominantly Jewish neighborhood of New York, around 100 anti-Israel protesters came to demonstrate against an event selling land in Israel which ultimately took a violent turn.

According to the Jewish Press, the Palestinian Assembly for Liberation (PAL)-Awda NY/NJ sent out a message to summon protesters, saying: “FLOOD BORO PARK TO PROTEST STOLEN LAND REAL ESTATE EVENT TUE. 2/18 AT 6 PM.”

In order to prevent clashes, the event had been secretly moved from its original location to 3611, 14th Ave., but the new location became known after former Democrat New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind announced on social media that he was looking forward to attending, according to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

While none of the properties being sold were outside official Israeli territory, furious protesters descended on the event regardless, describing their rally as a “flood” in possible reference to the Hamas name for the attack on Oct. 7, 2023, “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.”

There was a counter protest of people supporting the event, and another group of some 250 Orthodox Jewish men watching from a distance.

Anti Israel protesters prepare to march through the heavily Orthodox Jewish area of Borough Park in Brooklyn chanting “Palestine is Arab” and “Settlers go back home, Palestine is ours alone” pic.twitter.com/rYo4QHthA5

— Elad Eliahu (@elaadeliahu) February 19, 2025

The PAL-Awda protesters declared the Real Estate Expo, held by broker firm the Getter Group, as illegal. They accused organizers of "selling land in occupied Palestine," yet simultaneously chanted protesters telling the gathered Jewish community, “settlers, settlers go back home, Palestine is ours alone,” according to The Times of Israel. 

The pro-Palestine protesters were chanting “Zionists go to hell”, asking “How many kids did you kill today?” and waving Palestinian flags while demanding an “intifada revolution.” By 9:00 p.m. NYPD officers had arrested several people after the situation became violent. 

Yeshiva World News reported that a Palestinian attempted to stab a Jewish man, but he was quickly disarmed and arrested.

Another was taken into custody after allegedly attempting to ram his vehicle into a group of Jews, and Heshy Tischler, among the counter-protesters, fought back when he was punched in the face.

One of the men arrested was identified as Rohann Gill, a 28-year-old registered nurse from Brooklyn who featured in a Middle East Eye article having recently been to Gaza for what has been described as “a Hamas Youth Camp.”

Congressman Richie Torres, the Democratic Party representative for New York's 15th congressional district, posted on 𝕏:

"It should come as a shock to no one that the pro-Hamas mob targeting Jews and promising to “flood” Borough Park has descended into violence".   

"Violence is not an unintended consequence but rather a feature of the so-called “Free Palestine” movement, which seemingly has no desire to free Palestinians from Hamas".