Pro-Palestine protestors stage sit-in at Citibank HQ over Gaza genocide

Hundreds of protestors staged a sit-in Tuesday outside Citibank’s headquarters in New York City, in solidarity with the Palestinian people over the Israeli occupation state’s war on Gaza, and the bank’s complicity in the genocide taking place there.

“Citibank, Citibank, you can’t hide, you are committing genocide,” they chanted, holding banners in solidarity with Palestine. The demonstrators demanded an end to the funding of Israel’s attacks in Gaza and called for an immediate cease-fire.

BREAKING: NEW PALESTINE SOLIDARITY ENCAMPMENT IN NYC. POP and allies have just encamped at the entrance to Citibank’s global headquarters. Citi is the #1 foreign bank in Israel, and #1 funder of fossil fuel expansion. Planet Over Profit means FREE PALESTINE! pic.twitter.com/dCPDRbWgoO

— Planet Over Profit (@pop4climate) June 19, 2024

According to Anadolu Agency, New York police arrested several protestors after warning them to disperse. Protests have been persistent across the US, especially at universities, demanding divestment from companies profiting from the war in Gaza.

More than 37,350 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and over 85,400 others injured, according to local health authorities.

HAPPENING NOW:

The student encampments have relaunched, this time, they have taken over @Citibank @Citi plaza, the largest foreign banking institution in Israel that has donated BILLIONS in weapons manufacturing for the genocide in Gaza.#FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/WSjUARvNgr

— Climate Defenders (@ClimateDEF) June 18, 2024

According to Banking on Solidarity “Citibank is deeply invested in Israel’s infrastructure as the largest U.S. banking institution in the country, especially in its role funding the “tech-washing” of Israeli apartheid by investing heavily in Israel’s tech sector.”

“Citibank has also actively facilitated billions in Israeli military weapon funding, helping to financially power the infrastructure that keeps apartheid running.”

Adding to the bank’s notoriety, days after extremist anti-Palestinian Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for a Palestinian village to be “wiped out,” last year, Citibank leadership “very publicly decided to hold cordial meetings with Smotrich to calm the markets.”

READ: US says 2 universities fell short in addressing anti-Arab hate