Violence Breaks Out in Washington Square Park

A vigil for Ayatollah Khamenei in NYC’s Washington Square Park turned ugly when a man tried to tear down a poster of the late Iranian leader. He got punched in the face by a guy in a SpongeBob sweatshirt. Because, of course, that’s exactly how you honor the dead – with a fistfight.

Police Step In

As the brawl unfolded, NYPD officers intervened, detaining multiple people. The crowd shouted profanity, because that’s always helpful in a tense situation. Nearby, counter-protesters waved Iranian, American, and Israeli flags, chanting ‘U.S.A.’ – because nothing says ‘peaceful protest’ like a little flag-waving and slogan-shouting.

The vigil featured a makeshift memorial with Palestinian keffiyeh scarves, candles, and photos of Khamenei. An observer described the scene as the ‘People’s Republic of New York,’ which is just a nice way of saying it was a mess. Organizers called Khamenei’s death an ‘assassination by U.S. government forces,’ despite U.S. officials denying any involvement.

Divided Opinions

A group of counter-protesters held American flags and pre-1979 Islamic Revolution Iranian Lion and Sun flags, saying they were there to show that not all Iranians support the regime. One woman told Fox News that her family in Iran is fighting against the regime and is ‘happy about this.’ It’s clear that opinions on Khamenei’s death are divided, to say the least.