The Washington Square Park vigil for Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei turned violent when a man attempting to remove a poster was punched and knocked down, sparking a larger brawl. NYPD officers intervened and detained multiple people as the crowd shouted and exchanged blows. The gathering included a memorial table with keffiyeh scarves and photos of Khamenei, while nearby counter-protesters waved U.S., Israeli and pre-1979 Iranian flags. Organizers labeled Khamenei's death an "assassination by U.S. government forces," while international reporting attributes the Tehran strike to Israel and U.S. officials deny involvement.
Brawl Erupts at Washington Square Park Vigil After Man Tries To Tear Down Khamenei Poster; NYPD Detains Several
A memorial table in New York City for Khamenei, who is accused of killing thousands of Iranians.(Fox News)
A vigil in Washington Square Park in Manhattan to mourn the reported death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei turned violent Friday, with video showing a man being punched and knocked to the ground while attempting to remove a poster of the leader.
Footage from the scene shows the confrontation beginning when a man grabbed at a poster of Khamenei — who, according to multiple international reports, was killed last week in an airstrike in Tehran. A second man wearing a SpongeBob sweatshirt then struck the poster-remover in the face, sending him to the ground. The initial incident quickly escalated into a broader physical altercation among people in the crowd.
Khomeni supporters waved a large flag donning his portrait.
Police Response: New York City Police Department officers intervened as the melee intensified. Multiple people were detained on the scene, and bystander audio on the widely circulated videos captured profanity-filled shouting as the scuffle unfolded.
Vigil Details and Counter-Protest
The vigil included a makeshift memorial table draped with Palestinian keffiyeh scarves, lit candles and photographs of Khamenei. One onlooker described the gathering as resembling a "People's Republic of New York." Nearby, a group of counter-protesters waved Iranian, American and Israeli flags and repeatedly chanted "U.S.A."
Protesters and counter-protesters gathered inside Washington Square Park in New York, New York, on Friday afternoon.
A flyer promoting the event described Khamenei's death as an "assassination by U.S. government forces."
International reporting and Western officials attribute the deadly weekend strike in downtown Tehran to the Israeli military; U.S. officials have denied involvement. Event organizers circulated material praising Khamenei's record and opposing what they described as "Zionism" and U.S. influence.
Opponents at the scene included demonstrators carrying pre-1979 Iranian Lion and Sun flags alongside American flags. Several people interviewed by Fox News contributor Nicole Parker said they and family members in Iran oppose the clerical regime and welcomed leadership change, stressing that their opposition is to Iran's government rather than the Iranian people.
Reporting: Fox News Digital's Azziana Solomon contributed to the coverage.
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