🎄How the Khamas Grinches Tried to Steal Christmas in Manhattan:
A Street-Level View from a Few
You know that feeling when something magical gets turned upside down? That's what happened last year in our beloved city, and I need to tell you about it because it's been keeping me up. Picture this: the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, that massive evergreen beacon of holiday joy that's been lighting up midtown since the Great Depression, became ground zero for something I never thought I'd see.
It was supposed to be simple. Tourists taking selfies, kids on parents' shoulders, hot chocolate vendors making their winter fortune – the usual scene we've all grown to love. But as the sun set on Manhattan, something else was brewing. Hundreds of protesters, led by activist Nerdeen Kiswani and her organization Within Our Lifetime (WOL), had different plans for our city's biggest Christmas party.
Let me paint you the scene: The air was crisp, holiday music was floating through the streets, and somewhere between Saks Fifth Avenue and the NBC studios, two New Yorkers were about to collide.
WOLPalestine leader NerdeenKiswani: "We have shut down New York City & we will continue to shut this city down." Waving a PFLP terror flag, violently anti-Israel protesters disrupted the iconic Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan.
A Tale of Two Cities
On one side, you had families who'd traveled from places like Des Moines and Duluth, clutching their once-in-a-lifetime tickets to see the tree lighting. Some had been planning this trip for years. I spoke with the Hendersons from Michigan – little Tommy had saved his allowance for six months to buy his sister a pretzel from the cart near the skating rink.
Kiswani, known for her controversial activism, chose this high-profile moment to voice her demands. Standing before the crowd, she declared, "We stand here on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People in solidarity with Jerusalem's 13 official churches and the entire municipality of Bethlehem — and the entire municipality of Bethlehem, who have called for mobilization, not celebration"1.
You've got to hand it to our boys and girls in blue – they played this one smart. Instead of creating confrontation, they orchestrated a careful dance of crowd control. Barriers appeared like magic, guiding the protest toward the News Corp building and away from the main celebration. It was like watching a masterclass in crowd psychology.
Now, let's talk context, because this isn't happening in a vacuum. The same day, Israel and Hamas were extending their truce for a seventh day. Sixteen more hostages were coming home – ten Israelis, four Thai nationals, and two Russian-Israeli citizens. Thirty Palestinian prisoners were being released in exchange.
The news from Gaza was heavy: reports about the Bibas family – little Kfir, just 10 months old, his 4-year-old brother, and their mother – hit everyone hard.
But here's what really got me thinking: In the middle of all this, I saw something pure New York. A group of kids, couldn't have been more than ten years old, started singing Christmas carols right next to the protest. Not as a counter-protest, mind you – they were just kids being kids. And for a moment, everyone stopped and listened.
This morning, I walked past Rockefeller Center. The tree was still there, of course, twinkling away like nothing had happened. A street sweeper was clearing the last signs of the previous night's events, and tourists were already lining up for the first skating session.
As someone who has analyzed global conflicts for years, I can't help but see the irony in attempting to disrupt a symbol of peace and joy to promote a cause. While freedom of speech is a cornerstone of our democracy, the methods employed by Kiswani and WOL raise questions about the effectiveness and appropriateness of such actions, especially during a time traditionally reserved for unity and celebration.
Within Our Lifetime also targeted the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. During that event, protesters defaced the facade of the New York Public Library, causing $75,000 in damage.Â
Jews are consistently targeted in hate crimes more than any other group in New York City, with over 230 antisemitic incidents reported to police so far this year. Anti-Jewish hate crimes have surged since Oct. 7, according to NYPD data.
