BROOKLYN, NY – Nineteen individuals were taken into custody by the New York Police Department (NYPD) during a pro-Palestine demonstration in Brooklyn’s Bay Ridge neighborhood on Saturday evening. The protest, which took place in an area known for its large Arab population, occurred exactly two weeks after the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel and the subsequent surge in violence in and around Gaza.

The demonstration was organized by Within Our Lifetime, a group of Palestinian New Yorkers, who claimed to have rallied hundreds of participants in the neighborhood to advocate for a ceasefire. While the NYPD acknowledged that the majority of the protesters were peaceful, they noted that a few individuals acted aggressively, throwing eggs and bottles at officers.

Three of the arrested individuals were minors, according to an NYPD spokesperson. Those apprehended were either given desk appearance tickets or charged with disorderly conduct. The organizers of the protest, however, claimed that the police used excessive force to disperse the crowd.

Nerdeen Kiswani, the founder of Within Our Lifetime, stated that the protest aimed to show solidarity with the people of Gaza and Palestine. She emphasized the constitutional right to protest and criticized any attempts to prematurely end such demonstrations.

Footage shared on social media by the group appeared to show police officers physically engaging with protesters after the NYPD ordered the crowd to disperse. The NYPD responded by stating that the protest did not have the required permit and that the officers were attempting to restore order.

The recent arrests add to a growing number of detentions at city protests responding to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Just last week, over 60 individuals were arrested at a Jewish Voice for Peace rally in Park Slope. Earlier this month, Brooklyn Councilmember Inna Vernikov was also arrested for bringing a firearm to a pro-Palestine rally at Brooklyn College.

Bay Ridge is considered a hub for the Palestinian community in New York City, according to Kiswani. The neighborhood, which is home to many Arab Muslims, saw various local mosques, Muslim organizations, and Arab groups join the protest. City data reveals that 10% of the neighborhood’s 111,000 residents are of Arab descent, including Palestinians and Yemenis.

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in significant casualties and displacement. The Associated Press has reported over 1,400 deaths in Israel since the start of the war, triggered by an attack from Hamas. The Health Ministry run by Hamas has reported over 4,300 Palestinian deaths in Gaza. The United Nations has also reported that over 1 million people have been displaced in Gaza since the conflict began.