Protesters shouting "Free Palestine" interrupted an Easter vigil at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York on Saturday night. Videos on social media show the protesters holding up a banner in front of the altar with the logo of the environmental group Extinction Rebellion and the words "silence = death."
Pro-Palestinians interrupt Easter observance at St. Patrick's Cathedral.
Enough is enough with this offensive nonsense.
— James Spiro (@JamesSpiro) March 31, 2024
XR NYC Palestine Solidarity, which describes itself as an organization affiliated with Extinction Rebellion, later claimed responsibility for the disruption to the Easter vigil mass. It issued a statement claiming it did so to "demand faith leaders speak out" about the war in Palestine and climate change (which they define as "genocide" and "ecocide," respectively). Three of its members were reportedly arrested.
Outside, a crowd of pro-Palestine and anti-climate change protesters also gathered. Police had to intervene on more than one occasion:
At least 2 arrests so far at today’s @WOLPalestine Land Day march for Palestine.
Here’s a SRG bike squad cop shoving shoving a protester and then slamming them face first into a car during arrest. pic.twitter.com/GlTZwAsc9Q
— Isabelle Leyva (@isabelle_leyva) March 30, 2024
CORRECTION: there was accompaniment to this small dance performance, but NYPD intervened over amplified sound. pic.twitter.com/NFdh5dNNU4
— PRO_NYC (@protest_nyc) March 30, 2024
