Two of the largest airports in the United States—New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)—were the sites of pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests that resulted in scores of arrests on Wednesday morning, December 27.
Some passengers at JFK and LAX opted to walk around the blocked roads because of the demonstrations that occurred on the airport's perimeter. When the two rallies were over, police reported they had detained more than 60 individuals.
In New York
For around 20 minutes, traffic on the Van Wyck Expressway, which leads up to the airport in New York City, came to a halt as demonstrators carried placards and joined arms, calling for an end to the Israel-Hamas conflict and increased rights for Palestinians.
According to The Times of Israel, protesters against Israel yelled "from the river to the sea," a term that Jewish watchdogs have deemed antisemitic and widely seen as a demand for Israel's destruction.
Several people, some with bags, were seen exiting their cars and crossing the middle of the highway in a video that went viral on social media. Two buses were sent out by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to assist travelers stranded in the delay in reaching the airport.
According to agency spokesman Steve Burns, 26 protesters were detained for disorderly behavior and blocking vehicle traffic.
In Los Angeles
At the same time as the demonstration in New York, another group of pro-Palestinian protesters in Los Angeles blocked a key road that leads to the airport by dragging scooters, garbage cans, traffic cones, and debris into the lanes.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) issued a statement in which they claimed that protestors had assaulted "uninvolved passersby in their vehicles" and threw a police officer to the ground, although they did not elaborate on either charge, as reported by The Times of Israel.
Upon seeing police approaching, the demonstrators seemed to disperse. Nonetheless, police said that airport traffic was still affected for around two hours after the demonstration's illegal declaration.
One individual was charged with assault on a police officer, and 35 were detained for rioting, according to an LAPD official. It has been reported that no cops were hurt, as per the spokesperson.
Since the October 7 Attack
US cities and colleges have witnessed anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations since the Israel-Hamas conflict escalated on October 7. Thousands of Hamas militants invaded southern Israel, killing 1,200 people (mostly civilians) and kidnapping 240 hostages of various ages.
Israel has vowed to wipe out the terrorist organization Hamas from Gaza after declaring war on the militant group.
Gaza's health ministry, which is managed by Hamas, claims that over 20,000 people have been killed in the Strip throughout the conflict. About 8,000 Hamas operatives have allegedly been murdered by Israel.
