(Daily360.com) More than 1,000 anti-Israel protesters demonstrated outside the Met Gala on May 6, leading to dozens of arrests. The Met Gala takes place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and brings out big-name celebrities to help fundraise for the museum. The large crowd of protesters damaged a World War I Memorial during the march to the museum and lit an American flag on fire.
The New York police were on the scene in riot gear to break up the protest. One video shared on social media shows officers dragging and handcuffing protesters amidst the chaos. Some protesters were reportedly planning on attending the gala, but couldn’t afford the high cost of tickets. The protesters attempted to march to the gala, but were stopped short of reaching the museum.
The police funneled the protesters into Central Park and closed the exits. The protesters left the park and got closer to the museum before a police blockade prevented them from getting closer. The crowd tried to take another route to the museum and ran into another police barrier before more clashing and arrests ensued.
Twenty-seven protesters were arrested over the course of the night. One protester was charged with assault for pushing an officer and resisting arrest. Five were given charges of resisting arrest or trespassing. They were let go after receiving a ticket to show up in court. The rest of the protesters arrested on scene were given a summons for disorderly conduct.
Mayor Adams denounced the protests for the act of vandalizing a World War I Memorial. He offered $5,000 of his own money as a reward for information about who vandalized the memorial if that information leads to an arrest. Crimestoppers has also contributed $10,000 to the fund.
In a statement, Adams proclaimed that he loves America. He denounced the vandalism and destruction of American symbols that represent the freedom that all citizens enjoy in this country.
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