No major problems were reported as people made their voices heard during dueling pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protests on Wednesday evening.
The marchers started at the Newtown and Village of Newtown shopping centers and made their way down Durham Road, Sycamore Street, South State Street, Washington Street and back through the shopping centers in Newtown Borough and Newtown Township.
It appeared there were approximately 50 pro-Palestine protesters and 175 pro-Israel protesters, but people filtered in and out of the march as it went on in the below-freezing temperatures.
Drivers and bystanders voiced support for both sides. Some honked in support of their favored side.
The moving protest was escorted by police, which led to temporary road closures.
“Flood Newtown For Palestine” was organized by a Newtown-area resident who is from Palestine and was created to “stand against genocide.” The man wished to only be identified as Zohair.
“We’re out here in the cold, y’all,” a speaker at the rally said. “We’re out here because we believe in what we’re doing. We’re out here to speak out against the government that is funding a genocide in our name. We reject the idea of bombing the Palestinian people.”
News of the rally quickly spread on social media this week and led to members of the local Jewish community organizing a counterprotest.
“We can’t let people come to our town and tell us that Israel doesn’t have a right to defend herself and our people,” said Michael, who was one of the counterprotesters.
He added: “This is something that means so much to us. [Hamas] has our hostages and they killed so many without cause. Everyone should be outraged about it and we need to show it. That’s why we’re here today.”
Both sides had people come in from out of town and out of state, including New York.
Counterprotesters and the pro-Palestine group both said some people planning to attend never made it because they went to Newtown Square, which is about 30 miles away in Delaware County.
Tempers flared as the march made its way down Sycamore and South State streets. Police and marchers intervened as some protesters and counterprotesters yelled in each others faces.
One man hurled racist slurs at the pro-Palestine marchers as they made their trek through the area, while some others told them to get out of Newtown. A pro-Palestine protester shot back that they were “from here.”
“Hamas kills and you support terrorists,” one counterprotester yelled.
A pro-Palestine protester responded that they support a ceasefire to the war that has killed thousands of people.
“Palestine will be free,” they shouted.
A counterprotester briefly told a reporter during the march that the pro-Palestine marchers were ignoring the surprise October attack by Hamas that killed 1,200 people in Israel. They said the larger counterprotest showed how the people of the area felt on the issue.
The counterprotesters chanted “U-S-A” at points, while holding American and Israeli flags.
Counterprotesters gathered outside the Lubavitch of Bucks County Jewish center on South State Street as the march walked by. However, Lubavitch of Bucks County was not involved in the protest or counterprotest or organize the event.
Newtown Borough and Newtown Township police were helped by a number of nearby agencies, including Lower Makefield Township and Northampton Township police. In addition, the Pennsylvania State Police and Bucks County Sheriff’s Office were also assisting.
At the end of the march, a handful of people from each side of the protest thanked police officers.
The march follows a number held nationwide since the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas and the nation’s subsequent war in Palestine.
Since the attack and war began, there have been a reported increase in anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic incidents around the U.S.
