Violence erupts at NYC vigil for Iranian leader Khamenei, punches fly

Chaos erupted during a vigil in Washington Square Park in Manhattan Friday as attendees mourned the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Video footage showed a man attempting to tear down a poster of Khamenei being punched by another man wearing a SpongeBob sweatshirt, who then caused a fight to break out.

The incident prompted New York City Police Department officers to intervene, with multiple individuals detained, footage shows. The vigil featured a makeshift memorial with Palestinian keffiyeh scarves, candles, and photos of Khamenei. An observer described the scene as resembling the “People’s Republic of New York.”

Meanwhile, nearby counter-protesters waved Iranian, American, and Israeli flags while chanting “U.S.A.” in the area. Organizers of the event claimed Khamenei’s death was an “assassination” carried out last Saturday by the Israeli military, which they said targeted Iranian regime leaders. U.S. officials have denied involvement.

The flyer for the event stated that Khamenei had defended Iranian dignity and opposed Zionism and U.S. influence. It also highlighted Iran’s support for Palestinian resistance and its severing of ties with Israel since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Supporters of Khamenei, some holding Iranian flags and pre-1979 flags, said they opposed the regime.

One attendee told Fox News that her family in Iran was fighting against the government and welcomed the death of Khamenei, asserting that the conflict was not about the Iranian people but about the Islamic Republic itself.

Source: Original Article