{"id":156147,"date":"2026-03-07T12:07:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-07T12:07:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/156147\/"},"modified":"2026-03-07T12:07:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T12:07:11","slug":"video-captures-chaos-erupting-at-nyc-vigil-for-slain-ayatollah-khamenei-as-punches-fly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/156147\/","title":{"rendered":"Video captures chaos erupting at NYC vigil for slain Ayatollah Khamenei as punches fly"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Chaos erupted in Washington Square Park in Manhattan as a vigil mourning the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/person\/ali-khamenei\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Ali Khamenei;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Ali Khamenei<\/a> descended into violence Friday, with video capturing a man being pummeled to the ground while attempting to tear down a poster of the late Iranian leader.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Video showed a man attempting to pull down a poster of the dictator \u2014 killed last week in an Israeli airstrike \u2014 when a man wearing a SpongeBob sweatshirt punched him in the face, sending him to the ground.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Others began fighting, prompting New York City Police Department (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/crime\/police-and-law-enforcement\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Nypd;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Nypd<\/a>) intervention.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">As the brawl unfolded, the crowd could be heard shouting profanity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/israel-hammers-iranian-internal-security-command-centers-open-door-uprising\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Israel Hammers Iranian Internal Security Command Centers To Open Door To Uprising;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Israel Hammers Iranian Internal Security Command Centers To Open Door To Uprising<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Pro-Khamenei and anti-Khamenei protesters clashing during a demonstration at Washington Square Park.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/b5ad301fb44000a1f691e9c274794734.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>A memorial table in New York City for Khamenei, who is accused of killing thousands of Iranians.<\/p>\n<p>(Fox News)<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Multiple people were captured on video being detained by police.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS\/mvaj7wvj\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Read On The Fox News App;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Read On The Fox News App<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The vigil featured a\u00a0makeshift memorial table covered with Palestinian keffiyeh scarves, candles and photos of\u00a0Khamenei, with an observer describing the scene as the &#8220;People\u2019s Republic of New York.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Meanwhile, nearby counter-protesters waved Iranian, American and Israeli flags while chanting &#8220;U.S.A.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Pro-Khamenei and anti-Khamenei protesters clashing during a demonstration at Washington Square Park.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/80136b04621f98035f9bdea955f9b8b6.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Khomeni supporters waved a large flag donning his portrait.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In a flyer announcing the event, organizers called Khamenei&#8217;s death an &#8220;assassination by U.S. government forces.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Saturday&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/world\/conflicts\/iran\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:downtown Tehran strike;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">downtown Tehran strike<\/a> that killed Khamenei and other regime leaders was carried out by the Israeli military.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">U.S. officials have denied any involvement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;Throughout his life, Khamenei defended the dignity of the Iranian people and stood firmly against zionism [sic] and the criminal American regime,&#8221; organizers wrote on the flyer. &#8220;Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979 overthrew the U.S.-backed puppet government, the Iranian people have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/politics\/defense\/wars\/war-with-iran\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:resisted Western domination;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">resisted Western domination<\/a> and the exploitation of their land, labor, and resources.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/iranians-celebrate-worldwide-supreme-leader-khamenei-killed-israeli-strikes\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Iranians Celebrate Worldwide After Supreme Leaders Are Killed In Israeli Strikes;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Iranians Celebrate Worldwide After Supreme Leaders Are Killed In Israeli Strikes<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;In that time, Iran severed all ties with the zionist [sic] regime and was the first country to host a Palestinian embassy on its soil, all while materially supporting Palestinian resistance and national liberation movements across the world.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Among Khamenei&#8217;s supporters were a group of counter-protesters who slammed the vigil while holding American flags and pre-1979 Islamic Revolution Iranian Lion and Sun flags.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;We&#8217;re here to show everyone that Iranians don&#8217;t like the regime,&#8221; a man at the vigil told Fox News contributor Nicole Parker on &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/video\/6390522780112\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Hannity;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Hannity<\/a>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/trump-says-irans-succession-bench-wiped-out-israeli-strike-hits-leadership-deliberations\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Trump Says Iran\u2019s Succession Bench Wiped Out As Israeli Strike Hits Leadership Deliberations;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Trump Says Iran\u2019s Succession Bench Wiped Out As Israeli Strike Hits Leadership Deliberations<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Pro-Khamenei and anti-Khamenei protesters clashing during a demonstration at Washington Square Park.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/14919b01b17708cd667c48755bce719b.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Protesters and counter-protesters gathered inside Washington Square Park in New York, New York, on Friday afternoon.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Click Here To Download The Fox News App;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Click Here To Download The Fox News App<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;My family is in Iran, but all of them are fighting against the regime,&#8221; another woman told Parker. &#8220;They&#8217;re happy about this, they want this war \u2014 this war is not about [the] Iranian people, this war is against the Islamic Republic.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Fox News Digital&#8217;s Azziana Solomon contributed to this report.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Original article source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/video-captures-chaos-erupting-nyc-vigil-slain-ayatollah-khamenei-punches-fly\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Video captures chaos erupting at NYC vigil for slain Ayatollah Khamenei as punches fly;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Video captures chaos erupting at NYC vigil for slain Ayatollah Khamenei as punches fly<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Chaos erupted in Washington Square Park in Manhattan as a vigil mourning the death of Iranian Supreme Leader&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":156148,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[62617,64579,9,56,63,65,64,64580,15081],"class_list":{"0":"post-156147","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york-city","8":"tag-ali-khamenei","9":"tag-iranian-supreme-leader","10":"tag-new-york","11":"tag-ny","12":"tag-nyc","13":"tag-nyc-headlines","14":"tag-nyc-news","15":"tag-video-capturing","16":"tag-washington-square-park"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156147","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=156147"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156147\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/156148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=156147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=156147"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=156147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}