Protesters disrupt Easter vigil at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC with calls for cease-fire

Pro-Palestine protesters disrupted the Easter Vigil service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City on Saturday night, calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. The demonstrators, including some from Extinction Rebellion NYC’s Palestinian Solidarity group, chanted “Free, free Palestine” during the service before being removed by authorities.

The incident occurred after thousands of pro-Palestine activists gathered in Times Square earlier in the day. The protesters carried a flag with an olive tree and the words “SILENCE = DEATH” written across it as they disrupted the service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Heavily armed police personnel were stationed outside the cathedral during the Easter service, and the protesters were quickly escorted out of the building. Despite the disruption, many attendees, led by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, remained calm and did not react to the incident.

The protest at St. Patrick’s Cathedral was part of a larger global movement calling for an end to the Israel-Hamas war. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement before Holy Week, urging for prayer, peace in the Middle East, and an end to the conflict that has resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians.

The disruption at St. Patrick’s Cathedral highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict and the calls for peace and resolution from various groups and organizations.