Pedestrians and drivers should expect a hellacious scene in Midtown Thursday as the U.N. General Assembly reconvenes and multiple protests of a scheduled speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu step off.
At least two separate protests are planned for Thursday afternoon, including one organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement. That group of protesters plan to march from Bryant Park to the UN headquarters beginning at 4 p.m., organizers said.
In preparation for the assembly, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said thousands of officers will patrol the area around the headquarters each day.
Significant stretches of roadway will remain closed to traffic each day this week, including portions of the FDR and First Avenue from 41st to 48th streets.
The Palestinian Youth Movement protest will feature speeches by doctors who served in Gaza, as well as speakers from the Democratic Socialists of America and the National Lawyers Guild, according to organizers.
A second demonstration organized by Jewish advocacy groups critical of Netanyahu’s government plans to convene across the street from the UN starting at noon, organizers said.
Noam Shelef, who works with one of the groups, New Jewish Narrative, said their goal with the demonstration is to show that a broad range of Americans oppose the Israeli government’s ongoing war in Gaza and new settlements in the West Bank.
Shelef said they will “demand accountability from the prime minister and express a strong set of opposition to his belligerent policies.” That demonstration will feature speakers at the plaza across the street from the headquarters and is expected to last about an hour.
Netanyahu’s address comes as Israel's war in Gaza and the U.S. war on Iran have triggered public criticism domestically and across the globe. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has been an outspoken critic of Netanyahu and previously claimed during his campaign that he would attempt to arrest him if the prime minister visited New York City.
After he was elected mayor, Mamdani ultimately acknowledged that he does not have the authority to enforce an International Criminal Court warrant against Netanyahu, but maintained Netanyahu should be held accountable for alleged war crimes.
In an interview on CNN Tuesday, Mamdani said the warrant should be honored.
Netanyahu has not backed away from the mayor’s criticism and released a video earlier this week where he falsely claimed the mayor is a supporter of Hamas and accused him of putting Jewish New Yorkers in danger.
In the video, Netanyahu addressed the mayor directly, telling Mamdani he is coming to the U.N. and will “tell the truth about you.”
Mamdani responded to the video after its release, calling Netanyahu the architect of a genocide against Palestinians.
