Pro-Palestine protestors already descending on MET Gala as NYPD swiftly makes arrests to keep ralliers from ruining star-studded event

Pro-Palestine protestors descended on New York’s Met Gala on Monday evening, but they were met with a swift response from the NYPD who had been bracing for the possibility that demonstrators might make an appearance. 

The protests — officially billed as part of a ‘Day Of Rage For Gaza: From The Encampments To The Streets’ — began earlier on Monday afternoon at Columbia University and NYU downtown.

Both protests met up at CUNY Hunter College at 5pm – just one mile from the Met, or about 20 minutes walk away.

Outside The Met, one protestor was quickly placed in handcuffs and arrested by police. 

Other uniformed officers could be seen walking along the streets armed with dozens of plastic zip ties should any further protestors wish to make an appearance and cause disruption. 

The NYPD had earlier said that it was well prepared, adding that it would ‘have an adequate security deployment.’

NYPD Sources said the Met will have a larger security contingent than normal with both plain clothes police inside and outside the museum along Fifth Avenue, at the iconic Upper East Side venue.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams together with the police noted how ‘outside agitators’ had been involved in the college demonstrations that had overrun college campuses across the city over the last two weeks. 

Gaza demonstrators have not shied away from disrupting other high-profile events in the city including the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and last year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting. 

The Met Gala sees some of the biggest names in film, fashion, music, sports, politics, and social media, making it something of a lightning rod for protests. 

Nationwide campus protests began at Columbia in response to Israel’s offensive in Gaza. 

Earlier in the day, the Ivy League school announced the cancelation of its university-wide commencement ceremony, scheduled for May 15.