A campaign event for U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in New York’s Harlem neighborhood descended into chaos on Wednesday night as pro-Palestinian protesters clashed violently with police.
The tumultuous scene was marked by arrests and property damage. Rioters displayed signs in support of the Hamas terrorist organization and caused significant disorder outside the venue.
Law enforcement employed crowd control measures, including smoke bombs, to quell the disturbance. Police arrested several demonstrators and put an end to the gathering outside the rally location.
Harris—the presumptive candidate for the Democratic Party ahead of next week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago—and her running mate, Tim Walz, were not at the campaign rally, which was headlined by New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
The incident follows a similar protest last week when pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside another campaign event held by Harris in Phoenix, Ariz. They called for the “liberation of Palestine” and staged a vocal demonstration at the rally, which had drawn approximately 15,000 attendees.
Harris addressed the protesters, stressing the need for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the return of the hostages being held by Hamas since the terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, though clarified that the event focused on the election campaign.
Originally published by Israel Hayom.
