Pro-Palestinian protesters block traffic in New York City

STORY: Dozens of demonstrators sat in the roadway and chanted slogans while holding up traffic on the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges across the East River, as well as at the Holland Tunnel connecting New York City with New Jersey across the Hudson, local media reported.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the Holland Tunnel, said on its website that the lanes to New Jersey were closed "due to police activity."

The protests were organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, the Palestinian Youth Movement and the New York chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, among other groups, they said on X, formerly called Twitter.

"We're hoping that with this action we can inspire others to keep agitating, keep escalating and keep disrupting until we have like shown that we will not stop until the U.S. supports a permanent ceasefire," said one protester at the Brooklyn Bridge.

Similar demonstrations have occurred in Europe and North America over the last several weeks calling for Israel to halt the bombardment of Gaza triggered by a surprise Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants.