NEW YORK (Dispatches) – New York police arrested a group of pro-Palestinian protesters who briefly interrupted the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday by attempting to block the parade route just ahead of the Ronald McDonald float, Reuters reports.
The 98th annual parade, televised nationwide, is part of the tradition of America’s Thanksgiving holiday, a spectacle of giant balloons of cartoon characters, marching bands and popular music acts performing live. Thousands line the streets of Manhattan to watch.
“The demonstrators were taken into custody without incident,” the New York Police Department said in a statement.
The number of detainees was unknown and charges were pending, the NYPD said.
A line of about 20 protesters sat in the street under a steady rain while others behind them held up a banner saying “Don’t celebrate genocide” and “Arms embargo now!” as the smiling Ronald McDonald floated overhead, Reuters pictures showed.
Police at the scene at first advised the demonstrators to leave without intervening, according to a Reuters witness. Then a team of bicycle-mounted officers arrived, clashing with the protesters and carting them away.
Also on Thursday, pro-Palestinian protesters targeted both the Foreign Office and Trade Department in London to call for an immediate halt of arms export to Israel, Anadolu Agency reports.
In solidarity with the Palestinian people, a group of protesters first gathered outside of the Foreign Office.
Carrying Palestinian flags, they blocked the entrance and shouted slogans, demanding an immediate end to arms supply to Israel.
During the demonstration that took place under intense police presence, the protesters urged the government to not be complicit in the genocide in Gaza where more than 44,300 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since last October 7.
Another pro-Palestinian group held a similar protest in front of the Department of Business and Trade, protesting continued arms exports to Israel.
At least two protesters have been arrested after the groups started marching.
Speaking to Anadolu, Micha, a protester, accused the government of being complicit in violations of international law in the Gaza Strip.
Expressing that they are saying “enough is enough”, she added: “We can’t do any more business as usual. We’re demanding a full arms embargo.”
Dan, a Jewish protester, said that he has the souls of his ancestors and that “this genocide is being carried out in their name.”