Anti-cop protesters to defy DeBlasio tonight

Hundreds or more pro-Palestinian/anti-“police brutality” protesters are looking to take to the streets tonight in defiance of a request by New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio that recent protests take a break until two recently slain NYPD officers are buried. The officers were killed “execution-style” Saturday by a gunman who expressed sympathy with the protest movement, which began in the wake of the non-indictments of police officers in the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.

What began as an expression of outrage at the grand jury decisions has since attracted a bevy of groups including supporters of the Palestinian side of the Israel/Palestine conflict. Tonight’s protesters have the stated goal of shutting down 5th Avenue.

They refer to themselves as the #NYC2PALESTINE CONTINGENT and also identify with the hash tag #BLACKLIVESMATTER. Their protest begins at 5 p.m. on 59th St. and 5th Ave.