Pro-Hamas protesters are now announcing their crimes ahead of time, and the authorities still won't do anything about it. That was illustrated in infuriating fashion on Monday as a planned protest to "shut down" New York's largest airport was publicized.
Here's a bit of what the scene looked like, with vehicles emblazoned with "intifada" (a call for revolution and genocide) and other pro-Hamas phrases driving in circles attempting to shut down the entrances to John F. Kennedy International Airport.
You'd think that the NYPD would be ready, given they were given advance notice. Perhaps they'd have officers ready to clear the roads and make masses of arrests for illegally blocking traffic. That's not what happened, though. Instead, the NYPD Chief of Transportation put out a message that left people fuming.
So, instead of a swift response to deter this kind of lawlessness from happening again in the future, the NYPD decided to shrug its collective shoulders and tell passengers to arrive earlier so they don't miss their flights. I can't think of a more tone-deaf response to what is essentially soft terrorism. These "protesters" are holding people hostage by blocking roads and trying to cause fear and apprehension for political ends. Their goal is to terrorize.
If you can't count on the police to show up and do something as simple as arresting protesters who are illegally blocking roads, what can you count on them for? The answer is not much, which is why being able to defend yourself is so important.
The responses to Chief Philip Rivera were justifiably not kind.
There is a reason these pro-Hamas protests continue to plague major U.S. cities. There is a distinct lack of consequences as mass illegality goes unpunished. All it would take is a few nights of large-scale arrests and stiff charges, and this would stop. These lunatics do not have the right to block roads and make the lives of other people miserable just because they are supportive of a terrorist group.
To be fair, the NYPD has done more than most in this arena, but more still must be done. Enough is enough. Shut these people down. If they want to protest, they are welcome to do it on private property or with a permit.