In the aftermath of a large demonstration, where protesters took over the main hall of Grand Central Station to voice their opposition to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, the New York Police Department has reported the arrest of no fewer than 200 individuals, with the majority being of Jewish descent.

However, the organizers of the protest have claimed that the actual number of arrests exceeds 300.

Photographs captured at the scene depict long lines of predominantly young individuals in handcuffs, wearing black sweatshirts emblazoned with the phrases ‘Not In Our Name’ and ‘Cease Fire Now’ in white lettering.

ALSO READ: New York alleges Trump fraudulently inflated net worth by up to $3.6 billion

This massive sit-in was organized by the group Jewish Voice for Peace-New York City, which declared that thousands of its members participated in the demonstration, effectively occupying the main concourse of New York City’s central railway station.

Images show the terminal filled with protesters displaying banners with slogans such as “Palestinians should be free” and “Mourn the dead, fight like hell for the living.”

Organizers have described this peaceful sit-in as “the largest civil disobedience New York City has seen in 20 years.”

The event commenced with Rabbis lighting Shabbat candles and reciting the Jewish prayer for the deceased, known as the kaddish.

ALSO READ: Naomi Campbell’s creative debut at New York fashion week

Rabbi May Ye, in a statement released by the organizers, emphasized, “While Shabbat is typically a day of rest, we cannot afford to rest while genocide is unfolding in our names.

The lives of Palestinians and Israelis are intertwined, and safety can only come from justice, equality, and freedom for all,” the rabbi concluded.