Ruth Haines
JFK Airport has been the site of several protests, including one in 2019 where airline workers protested wages and benefits, and another in 2023 where pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked traffic. In 2024, JFK Airport workers rallied for better wages, benefits, and working conditions. There is no evidence to suggest that protesters were paid to participate in these demonstrations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 27 December 2023 |
| Location | John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) |
| Protesters | Pro-Palestinian demonstrators |
| Number of Protesters | Dozens |
| Number of Arrests | 26 |
| Protest Method | Blocking traffic on the road leading to the airport |
| Banners | "Free Palestine", "Divest From Genocide", "Ceasefire is not enough", "Genocide then/Genocide now" |
| Affected Areas | Van Wyck Expressway, Century Boulevard |
| Police Involvement | Port Authority Police, Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) |
| Other Protests | Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) |
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What You'll Learn
JFK airport protest against Executive Order 13769
In January 2017, thousands of protesters gathered at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York City, to demonstrate against Executive Order 13769, commonly referred to as the "Muslim ban". The executive order, signed by President Donald Trump on January 27, 2017, imposed a 120-day suspension on all refugee admissions to the United States and an indefinite block on Syrian refugees. The order also barred citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen from entering the U.S. for 90 days, impacting even those with green cards.
The JFK airport protest was one of the first physical demonstrations against the executive order, with advocacy groups like the New York Immigration Coalition using social media to call on protesters to gather at the airport. The crowd grew large enough by sunset that it spilled over into the parking deck near the terminal. Protesters carried signs, chanted slogans, and marched from terminal to terminal. Notable participants in the JFK protest included state representatives Nydia Velázquez and Jerry Nadler, who were present to assist constituents affected by the ban.
The JFK protest was part of a larger wave of demonstrations that spread to other significant international airports and important sites across the United States, including Baltimore/Washington International Airport, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Battery Park in New York. Internationally, protests took place in Germany, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel publicly expressing her disagreement with the order, and noting America's obligations under the Refugee Convention.
The executive order was heavily criticized by various groups, including Democratic and Republican members of Congress, universities, business leaders, major corporations, Catholic bishops, and Jewish organizations. The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) expressed particular outrage that the order, which threatened to harm Muslim refugees, was signed on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In response to the protests, airport operators at JFK and other airports shut down transit access to the airports.
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JFK airport workers' protest for better wages and benefits
Hundreds of airline catering workers at JFK Airport in New York City staged a protest in November 2019, demanding a nationwide minimum wage of $15 per hour and improved benefits. The workers, members of the airline catering workers union, argued that their current contract did not allow them to keep up with the rising cost of living. They also stated that airlines were making record profits and should distribute some of that to their workforce.
In February 2020, approximately 300 catering workers serving American Airlines at JFK Airport protested for higher wages and better healthcare. They were contractors of LSG Skychefs and Gate Gourmet, business partners of American Airlines. At least 30 workers were taken into custody by the police.
In March 2024, hundreds of airport service workers rallied outside JFK's Terminal 8 as 32BJ SEIU launched New York's "First and Last" campaign. They demanded improved wages and fair labor standards from private sector employers. They also called for paid time off and employer-paid healthcare for the more than 40,000 airport workers at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark airports.
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Pro-Palestinian protest blocking traffic near JFK airport
On December 27, 2023, pro-Palestinian protesters blocked traffic near and inside New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, forcing some travellers to walk to the airport on foot. The demonstrators blocked a roadway on the Van Wyck Expressway inside the airport, with banners reading "Free Palestine" and "Divest From Genocide". Twenty-six protesters were arrested for disorderly conduct and impeding vehicular traffic. The road was reopened just before noon.
The protest was one of a series of pro-Palestinian demonstrations that have taken place in New York and other cities across the United States since the eruption of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, 2023. Protesters have targeted well-known events in New York, including the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the annual tree-lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center.
On January 2, 2024, hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched to Wall Street in New York City, causing heavy traffic near JFK Airport. Officers checked every car to ensure drivers had employee IDs or travel documents before entering the airport. Dump trucks were also positioned to block the service road from the Belt Parkway to the AirTrain Terminal.
The protests have been met with criticism from some officials. New York City Mayor Eric Adams suggested that police may need to ramp up their response to the protests, stating that people should not be allowed to "take over our streets and march in our streets".
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2023 pro-Palestinian protest leading to arrests
In late 2023, pro-Palestinian protests occurred on university campuses across the United States, with the Crowd Counting Consortium recording nearly 12,400 such protests from 7 October 2023 to 7 June 2024. These protests were part of the broader Gaza war protests that had begun in October 2023.
Pro-Palestinian students at Columbia University in New York City, for instance, established an encampment of around 50 tents on campus, calling it the Gaza Solidarity Encampment. They demanded that the university divest from Israel. After the first encampment was dismantled by the NYPD, a new one was built the next day. However, subsequent negotiations with the university administration failed, leading to the suspension of student protesters. The protesters then occupied Hamilton Hall, resulting in a second NYPD raid and the arrest of over 100 individuals.
Pro-Palestinian protests also took place at other universities, including Brown University, Pomona College, Vanderbilt University, UC Santa Cruz, UCLA, UC Irvine, and UC San Diego. These protests included rallies, demonstrations, campaigns, and vigils, with participants demanding an end to Israeli military massacres, US military and diplomatic support for Israel, and the oppression of Palestinians.
In addition to the university protests, a pro-Palestinian demonstration at JFK Airport in late December 2023 led to the arrest of at least 26 people. The protesters blocked traffic near and inside the airport, causing gridlock and disrupting travellers.
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2024 pro-Palestinian protest restricting access to JFK airport
In 2024, pro-Palestinian protests took place on university campuses across the world, with students demanding that their universities cut ties with companies that played active roles in the military conflict in Palestine and the ongoing genocide in Gaza. These companies included Cisco, Lockheed Martin, Caterpillar, and General Electric. The protests began in late 2023 and continued until the summer of 2024, with over 3,100 protesters arrested in the United States alone.
While there is no specific information about a 2024 pro-Palestinian protest restricting access to JFK Airport, there was a similar incident in 2023. In December 2023, at least 26 people were arrested after a pro-Palestinian demonstration blocked traffic near and inside JFK Airport, causing gridlock traffic and forcing travelers to exit their vehicles and walk to their gates with their luggage. Protesters held banners with messages such as "Free Palestine" and "Divest From Genocide."
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Frequently asked questions
There have been several protests at JFK airport. In 2017, over 2000 protesters arrived at JFK airport to protest the Trump immigration order. In 2019, airline workers protested wages and benefits at American Airlines. In 2023, pro-Palestinian protesters blocked traffic near and inside JFK airport.
There is no indication that protesters at JFK airport were paid.
Yes, there were several arrests at the JFK airport protest. In 2023, at least 26 people were arrested after a pro-Palestinian protest blocked traffic near and inside JFK airport. In 2019, several protesters were arrested by Port Authority police officers during a union rally.
There is no indication that there were any injuries at the JFK airport protest.
The JFK airport protest caused heavy traffic and disrupted travel plans. Protesters blocked roads and entrances to the airport, forcing travelers to exit their vehicles and walk to the terminals with their luggage. Access to a busy terminal at JFK airport was restricted due to the protest.
