The building housing Hulu’s offices was protested early Feb. 9, when activists left body bags and a sign saying “Hulu promotes genocide” at the door.

Later, students, leaders in the Puerto Rican struggle, anti-Zionist orthodox Jewish groups, socialist organizations, Palestinian rights organizations, LGBTQIA+ groups, speakers from Peru and Swaziland and the Rude Mechanical Orchestra gathered at New York subway hub Union Square during after-work rush hour for a rally, before marching to Hulu headquarters.

Before the night was over, the IOF-trained NYPD arrested one of the organizers, Richie Merino, charging him later with making “unreasonable noise.” Cops violently shoved another to the ground. Arbitrary arrests, aggressive tactics and violent police repression have increased against pro-Palestine actions here recently.

That same day, Feb. 9, Instagram management took down the social media account of Within Our Lifetime, the largest Palestinian rights organization in New York, which has led numerous marches of thousands of people.

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Police used protesters’ use of amplified sound as a pretext to arrest one of the protest leaders, laughably issuing a summons for “unreasonable noise.” Organizers said no noise could be too loud to demand a ceasefire and an end to the […] occupation. And they saw other reasons for the arrest.

“People all along the march supported us, and some joined us,” said Richie Merino, a leader with the Bronx Antiwar Coalition. “That’s why the IOF-trained police made their arrest. They fear the solidarity of the masses here with the Palestinians. But they can’t stop people from identifying with the people suffering and wanting to join the movement to stop it.”