‘Don’t touch me, I’m from Israel’: Man confronts NYU pro-Palestine protesters

A man who identified himself as Israeli confronted pro-Palestinian New York University students during a rally in Manhattan and told police officers who intervened, “Don’t touch me, I’m from Israel.”

A video circulating online shows a man who identified himself as Israeli confronting pro-Palestinian New York University students during a rally in Manhattan, then telling New York police officers who stepped in: “Don’t touch me, I’m from Israel.”

According to TRT World, the incident took place on Sunday, Oct. 12, during a rally held as part of a week of action for Palestine. The man displayed a photo of himself in a military uniform and repeatedly verbally abused and threatened the students, the outlet reported.

The footage shows the man walking alongside the marchers on the sidewalk and arguing with students before officers from the New York Police Department approach him. It was not immediately clear whether he was detained or cited.

New York University’s University Village towers in Manhattan (file photo)

Campus tensions

New York campuses, including NYU and Columbia University, have been focal points of protests over Israel’s war in Gaza since 2023, with frequent confrontations between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and counter-protesters.