SHAH ALAM - Pro-Palestinian demonstrators, led by the "Writers Bloc," took a stand against what they perceive as biased coverage of Palestine by the New York Times during the Israel-Hamas conflict.
They occupied the lobby of the newspaper's NYC headquarters, reading out the names of thousands of Palestinians, including over 36 journalists, who have died in Gaza since the conflict began.
In one of the largest recent demonstrations in New York City, hundreds gathered outside the Times' Manhattan offices on Thursday night.
The protestors, engaging in a sit-in and vigil that lasted nearly an hour, aimed to voice their discontent with the newspaper's biased portrayal of Palestine.
The demonstration was sparked by concerns over the media's biased coverage.
According to Gaza's Health Ministry, the total number of Palestinian deaths in the bloodshed has reached 10,818, with almost 4,400 children among them.
Over the past month, both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel demonstrations have taken place in the city, leading to increased concerns about antisemitic and anti-Muslim prejudice.
Social media has witnessed numerous clashes, occasionally involving students frustrated with the administration's response and each other.
Despite these tensions, pro-Israeli voices often dominate Western media, presenting a victim narrative through television, print publications, and news channels.
Critics argue that presenters use "self-defence" to justify their biased behavior.
Previously, a woman at the Rafah border crossing criticised biased media coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict by the West, stating, "We are watching the result of your silence."
When reporting on events in Palestine, media outlets often portray Palestinians either as defenceless victims or aggressive terrorists, sparking criticism for applying different standards.
The peaceful assembly is one of several demonstrations in prominent New York locations drawing attention to the increasing death toll in Gaza.
Protestors from the Jewish Voice for Peace briefly occupied the Statue of Liberty, and last week, hundreds crowded into Grand Central Terminal to shut it down during rush hour, demanding a ceasefire.
The colonisation that has plagued Palestine has stirred divisions among student organisations, causing tensions on college campuses.
A Palestinian undergraduate at Columbia expressed dissatisfaction with the university's response to Islamophobia, saying, "If we're lucky, we get a sentence in the emails of two paragraphs.
"They won't use the word 'Palestine' or 'Gaza,' it says a lot."
The sit-in at the New York Times was described as peaceful by the chief of corporate security, who clarified that no entrances were blocked.
The protest's peaceful nature was confirmed in an email to staff members.
It remains unclear whether anyone was taken into custody during the sit-in.