By Gus Saltonstall
Central Park was quiet on Monday evening. October 7, 2024.
Starting at 6 p.m., UJA-Federation of New York, a leading Jewish philanthropic organization in the five boroughs, hosted an event at Rumsey Playfield in commemoration of the one-year anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel.
There were 1,200 people killed on that day and approximately 250 taken hostage. Roughly 100 of the hostages held in Gaza are still unaccounted for. Monday night’s event included a candle lighting ceremony in remembrance of those who were killed and remarks from family members of the hostages.
- Read For More Details on Israel-Hamas War: Vigils and protests mark 1 year since Hamas attacks on Israel as fighting rages on
Entrances to Central Park at 72nd Street were barricaded and closed off as of 5 p.m. If you did not have a ticket to the event, or if you were not already in the park, you could not make your way from west to east through the 72nd Street corridor.
NYPD officers at barricades checked tickets and explained the situation to some who were confused.
A press pass got the Rag past this first barricade. The police presence was inescapable; NYPD officers and vehicles were everywhere. There were state troopers, security guards, and law enforcement agents in suits who stepped out of black SUVS.
The sound of a helicopter buzzed overhead.
The NYPD sent out a directive to officers last week informing them of plans to increase their security presence during the October 7 anniversary and the Jewish High Holy Days, beginning with Rosh Hashanah last Wednesday and ending with Yom Kippur this Friday, as reported by Gothamist.
The Rag did not see any counterprotestors in the park on Monday evening.
The restrictions on access led to a strange juxtaposition within the park, between a smaller than customary group going about their typical Central Park activities, and those who were attending the October 7 commemoration. As the sun began its journey downward, there were people walking dogs, playing catch, posing for photos, and riding in pedicabs.
Then there were members of the Jewish community making their way to Rumsey Playfield. Some wore “Bring Them Home” shirts, others had on yarmulkes or Star of David necklaces. There were families, groups of older women, boys in high school, all following the same signed path in the direction of the Central Park venue.
When the Rag arrived at the press gate, we were told that the event had been by invitation and RSVP-only to certain publications — and the Rag was not invited. After waiting for 15 minutes on the chance that an extra press pass would be allocated, we were told it would not be.
The line for members of the public to attend the event stretched along the majority of East Drive near the East 72nd Street Central Park entrance as of 5:45 p.m. We were quickly told to move along by a security guard if we did not have a ticket.
As we headed back toward the Upper West Side, we heard singing coming from Rumsey Playfield around 6 p.m.
You can watch a full recording of the event — HERE.
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From CNN Israel killed more than 41,000 people, more than a third of whom are children. Almost 100,000 are wounded.
I abhor what Israel is doing in Gaza, but October 7th was a legitimate tragedy and people should be allowed to grieve.
Hamas uses Gazan’s as shields, so any resulting deaths are the responsibility of them. Israel has a right to defend itself…period! If not for the aggressions of others in the region (including Hamas), there’d be no conflict.
FWIW, CNN gets its Gaza numbers from Hamas. Seriously, that is their source.
War is terrible. It’s a shame that Hamas started one. It’s also a shame that Hamas uses their own people as human shields. It’s a shame that Hamas operates military functions from tunnels built beneath hospitals, schools, and homes.
It’s a shame that there are Americans who side with Hamas and Hezbollah. Actually, it’s a tragedy.
Does that mean Jews are not allowed to grieve the savage act of terrorism? All civilians deserve better.
All civilians DO know better. And, so do most CNN viewers. Most folks are skeptical about those numbers. But some folks, such as Larry, need to repeat this information because that serves the narrative.
Where did CNN get their numbers?
You guys need to pick between “Israel has the right to kill every man, woman, and child in Gaza if it feels threatened” and “Israel isn’t killing that many people, anyway.”
“Groups of older ladies”. Come on. How about just “women”?
Hamas is a terrorist Organization. Hezzballah is a terrorist Organization. Nuff said.
You see, instead of police harassing people needlessly at the Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon inflation last year, they could have simply made the whole event a ticketed event where everyone had to make a reservation and was vetted if they are that concerned about safety and protestors. This is the right approach to future balloon inflations and thanksgiving day parades too.
How sad that there needs to be security to ensure that those who are mourning the first anniversary of a massacre, aren’t harmed themselves. Regardless of other valid sorrows and grief over the war’s realities since, the anguish over the atrocities of October 7th, is a valid one, not to mention with hostages – including American Citizens – still held in inhumane conditions and refused aid, and even the Red Cross prevented from checking on the hostages, for a full year now. It is a terrible, intolerable reality in the region. Pain is pain. One’s pain does not negate another’s pain. Grieve and let grieve. I wish us all better times, with more humanity and less polarization of pain.
A lot of these guys whose pagers and walkie talkies exploded and now have missing fingers and eyes will be around for another half century and more. They will be mobile and very visible and will be politically active. This conflict is never going to end.
I didn’t see a thing yesterday, I was at Turtle Pond. There was maybe about five or six of us and our dogs having a ball! It was so quiet and peaceful. ☮️