Pro-Palestinian demonstrators protest outside the Met Gala

Police arrest a Jewish pro-Palestinian protester near the Met Gala in New York on May 6, 2024 – Copyright AFP Charly TRIBALLEAU

Protesters in New York converged near the Met Gala on Monday during a rally against the ongoing war in Gaza, leading to several arrests, police said.

One of the gathering points was the gates of Columbia University, which was the center of the spread of demonstrations before demonstrators marched through Manhattan toward the biggest night of American fashion — or at least as close as police would let them.

Attracting celebrities, fashion designers and mass media attention, the Met Gala is an annual giant fundraiser for the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

It was unclear how many arrests were made as stars walked the carpet and posed for photos, but AFP journalists confirmed several arrests, while the New York Daily News reported the number was around a dozen, out of hundreds gathered in the area of the soiree.

Organizers on X, formerly Twitter, posted a flyer for an event called the “Citywide Day of Rage for Gaza.”

Monday’s protest appeared unrelated to the demonstrations that rocked Columbia’s campus, culminating in the university calling police to clear student demonstrators.

Despite growing concerns from some young voters and some members of Joe Biden’s Democratic Party about rising civilian casualties, the president has continued to support US ally Israel in its war in Gaza.

Under domestic pressure from left and right, Biden has tried to walk a fine line in an election year, pushing for a ceasefire and warning Israel not to invade the Gaza city of Rafah — even as he does not stem the flow of U.S. arms has stopped. the country or certain future aid.

Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 resulted in the deaths of more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Militants also kidnapped 250 hostages on October 7, of whom Israel estimates 128 remain in Gaza, including 35 who the army says are dead.

Israel vowed to destroy Hamas and launched a retaliatory offensive that has killed at least 34,735 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, the Health Ministry in the Hamas-held territory said.