NYPD arrested two protesters for trespassing and disorderly conduct, while MTA officers detained two more, though their charges remain unclear.
Hundreds of anti-Israel demonstrators tried to force their way into Grand Central Terminal Saturday, sparking violent confrontations with police that resulted in four arrests and the temporary lockdown of one of Manhattan’s busiest transit hubs.
According to the New York Post, the chaos erupted around 3:30 p.m. when protesters who had been marching through Manhattan attempted to storm the transit facility’s doors, forcing officials to lock and barricade the iconic building.
Viral media on social media show the unruly crowd waving Palestinian flags and chanting as they scuffled with NYPD and MTA officers outside the station’s Vanderbilt Hall entrance.
One video showed protesters hurling profanities at a female officer before a group of cops tackled an agitator, while others formed a barrier to keep the hostile group from entering the terminal.
Police were seen using batons to fend off the protesters during the confrontation.
However, a handful of the rowdy flag-waving demonstrators, shouting “Free Palestine” and banging on drums, managed to break through and make it into the main concourse before authorities removed them.