Palestine Protestors Flood NYC Zara, Leaving Black Friday Shoppers Frightened

On Black Friday, the bustling Zara store on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan transformed from a haven of holiday bargains into a scene of sudden pandemonium.

A group of around 30 pro-Palestine activists, many draped in keffiyeh scarves and waving Palestinian flags, burst through the doors amid throngs of shoppers hunting discounts on winter coats and accessories.

Chanting 'Zara funds genocide!' and 'While you're shopping, bombs are dropping in Gaza,' they held placards accusing the retailer of alleged complicity in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The intrusion lasted less than a minute but left families pausing mid-browse, children clutching parents' hands and elderly shoppers visibly startled.

Viral Footage Spreads Across Social Media

The video was first captured by on-the-ground journalist Oliya Scootercaster (@ScooterCasterNY) and quickly reposted by conservative commentator Nick Sortor (@nicksortor), known for highlighting underreported incidents.

Sortor's post read: 'BREAKING: Palestine protestors just stormed through the Zara store in NYC scaring Black Friday shoppers. NYPD intervened, pulling them back out. THIS IS THIRD WORLD BS. Christmas shopping in peace is a thing of the past.'

Within hours, the clip amassed more than 27,000 likes, 6,500 reposts and 527,000 views, igniting a firestorm of reactions highlighting America's polarised debate over free speech, public safety and the war in Gaza.

Shoppers Describe Fear Inside the Store

Eyewitnesses described an atmosphere thick with tension.

'I was just trying to grab a coat for my daughter when this mob came in blowing whistles and yelling,' one shopper wrote on X. 'It felt like an invasion, people froze, some backed into corners.'

No injuries were reported. Zara staff locked the store doors before reopening to resume trading.

Retail analysts note that disturbances during Black Friday can have outsized psychological effects, as footfall surges by up to 50 per cent in major shopping districts.

Experts linked to the National Retail Federation caution that sudden disruptions in tightly packed retail environments can spark panic and erode consumer confidence during the £800 billion to £1 trillion holiday spending season.

Rapid NYPD Response Leads to Arrests

NYPD officers, already on heightened alert for peak shopping crowds, intervened within seconds.

Body-camera footage and bystander videos show uniformed officers gripping and escorting protesters out individually with minimal resistance.

Later that evening, police confirmed four arrests on charges of disorderly conduct and obstructing governmental administration.

The protesters regrouped outside and were later joined by supporters dressed as Santa Claus, in what appeared to be a satirical rebuke of consumerism, before marching towards a nearby Microsoft store without further incident.

Part of Widening Wave of Commercial-Space Protests

The Zara disruption is part of an expanding pattern of activism targeting commercial centres linked to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

Since October 2023, demonstrations have increasingly intersected with busy locations including Times Square and Grand Central Terminal, deliberately timed for maximum visibility.

Activists frame such actions as consumer boycotts targeting brands perceived to support Israel. Zara previously drew backlash over an advertising campaign featuring mannequins with missing limbs, which it withdrew following accusations of insensitivity.

Critics argue these tactics alienate the public, shifting sympathy for Gaza into resentment towards everyday disruption.

Parallel protests occurred the same day in Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia, where demonstrators burned American flags outside City Hall.

Online Backlash Turns Increasingly Hostile

The clip triggered a torrent of online reaction, with Sortor's repost drawing sharp conservative backlash.

Commenters branded demonstrators 'keffiyeh Nazis' and 'paid agitators', while some called for deportations and urged use of the Insurrection Act under incoming President Trump.

One user, @wcdispatch, wrote: 'Deport them all. Figure it out later.'

Another, @OldeWorldOrder, declared that 'multiculturalism is a failed experiment' and urged efforts to 'reclaim the land of our ancestors'.

Responding to comments noting the presence of 'old liberal white women' among the protesters, Sortor wrote: 'Old liberal white women are a massive problem,' intensifying accusations of ideological enablers importing social disorder.

Far-right activist @LauraLoomer branded the episode an 'Islam problem in America', while @GuntherEagleman labelled protesters 'rabid animals' and @EricLDaugh posted:
'We DON'T have to deal with 3rd worlderism if we get them ALL OUT!'

Sampling of replies indicated 85 to 90 per cent negative sentiment, driven largely by safety fears, holiday disruption and anxieties surrounding immigration.

One user commented: 'The irony of them protesting in a Zara store is not lost on me,' pointing to demonstrators filming on iPhones while condemning consumer culture.

Supporters Defend 'Necessary Disruption'

Pro-Palestine supporters, though vastly outnumbered, defended the demonstration as a 'necessary disruption' to draw attention to civilian suffering in Gaza.

A handful of posts read simply 'Free Palestine', but such messages were quickly drowned out by hostile commentary.

Rising Tensions Ahead of the Holiday Season

As the holiday retail rush continues, the incident has renewed debate over balancing protest rights with public safety in crowded commercial environments.

City authorities have not said whether new security measures will be introduced, while retailers quietly brace for possible copycat actions.

Zara has not commented on the episode.

For shoppers, the disruption reinforced a growing sense that even festive retail traditions are no longer immune from political confrontation. In a city that never sleeps, the hope of peaceful holiday browsing feels increasingly fragile.