NYC real estate expo promoting sale of 'stolen land' in Palestine descends into violence

Hundreds of pro-Palestine people attended a demonstration organised by the Palestinian Assembly for Liberation-Awda (Pal-Awda) on Tuesday in New York City's borough of Brooklyn to protest against a real estate event advertising land for sale in occupied Palestine, with protests turning violent. 

The protests by Pal-Awda and many pro-Palestinian supporters against the land "expo" turned into chaos between the pro-Palestinian side and far-right Zionist groups that organised a counter-protest.

Betar USA, the US franchise of the right-wing youth Zionist movement, organised a counterdemonstration across the street from the pro-Palestinian protesters. 

Pal-Awda said that hundreds of protesters "responded to Pal-Awda's call to protest an illegal real estate event selling stolen land in occupied Palestine".

A statement by Pal-Awda said the pro-Palestinian attendees were “spat on, kicked, harassed, maced, physically struck and punched by Zionists. One counter-protestor held a lighter to a Qur’an, another made sexual gestures with the Qur’an, and others mocked the [Muslim] call for prayer”.

Read more: NYC real estate expo promoting sale of 'stolen land' in Palestine descends into violence