3 protesters charged for storming into St. Patrick’s Cathedral during Easter weekend service

Apr 2, 2024 by Dave Doveton

By Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post.

Three protesters advocating for Palestinian rights and climate action were charged after disrupting a religious service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City during Easter celebrations, interrupting the Holy Saturday mass.

The demonstrators, associated with the Extinction Rebellion NYC Palestine Solidarity group, entered the cathedral, advancing towards the altar while chanting “Free Palestine” and displaying a banner proclaiming “Silence Equals Death,” CBS New York reported.

The protest left many parishioners in shock, leading to the swift removal of the group from the premises. The larger movement, Extinction Rebellion, is known for its global climate justice campaigns.

In a thread on X, the group stated that the activists disrupted the mass to “demand all faith leaders take immediate and vocal action against genocide and ecocide.”

“However, security slammed the activists to the ground, cathedral refuse to pause the service, continuing to stay silent on the humanitarian crisis,” the activist group tweeted.

In a statement shared via a press release, XR NYC Palestine Solidarity member Matthew M. stated that a “United Nations Security Council calling for a ceasefire is a good start,” … “but churches making ceasefire statements is also a part of the solution.”

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