Hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators scuffle with NYPD cops and try to disrupt the Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center.
Protesters yell "river to the sea," an antisemitic slogan, while one person carries a swastika, linking the IDF to the Nazis.
An altercation with NYPD escalates as demonstrators try to break police barricades and NYPD cops push back.
After failing to reach the Rockefeller Center tree, the throng gathers around the tree outside.
In preparation of the protest, the NYPD requested a high-security presence to maintain "elevated vigilance" throughout the Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
Pro-Palestinian organizers planned to disrupt the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting on the UN-recognized International Day of Solidarity
Thousands of tourists eagerly await the holiday ritual are frustrated by the demonstrators. One traveler called the disruption "very annoying."
While protestors are arrested, tourists react differently. Some blame the interruption, while others praise the NYPD's patience.