Tensions boiled over at a pro-Palestinian rally in Union Square on June 12 when Olivia Reingold, a reporter for the Free Press, was aggressively confronted and forced to leave by a hostile group of protesters.
While covering the demonstration, Reingold was swarmed by dozens of protesters after one individual pointed at her and shouted, "She's a Zionist! Get her out of here."
The irate mob surrounded Reingold, waving keffiyehs and aggressively demanding her removal. One protester ripped apart her notebook, yelling, "You're not writing anything down. Get the f*** out!" Another fired an air horn directly into her ears.
Despite Reingold's attempts to de-escalate the situation, pleading "I want to speak with you," her appeals were met with further hostility from the unruly crowd. Left with no choice, she ultimately filed a police report for harassment.
The jarring incident occurred amidst a wave of escalating protests across the US following Hamas' deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7 that killed over 1,200 people and took hundreds hostage. Protests have intensified further after the recent hostage rescue operation in Gaza that freed 4 Israeli captives. While Hamas claimed a large civilian death toll, their figures are unverified and don't include terrorists. Reingold also noted protesters brazenly displayed terrorist group symbols and swastikas while attempting to justify Hamas' violence.
