Oct. 7 survivors describe horror of anti-Israel protesters taunting them at NYC Nova memorial: ‘Why do they hate us?’
Horror gripped Menashe Manzuri as he watched on Monday as an anti-Israel mob swarm the Manhattan exhibit memorial for the Oct. 7 terror attacks and viciously echo the chants of terrorists who murdered his two daughters.
“I cannot find the right words how I felt when someone is shouting and supporting the people who murder your daughters,” Manzuri said Tuesday.
“It was like they killed me again and again and again.”
The protest Monday outside Nova Music Festival Exhibition on Wall Street rattled exhibit goers, including survivors of the attack on the festival and family members of victims.
They described being trapped inside while protesters supporting Hamas raged outside.
At least four Oct. 7 survivors huddled at the exhibit “in a panic” as protesters mobbed outside, lit flares and chanted “Long live in the Intifada.”
Manzuri, 58, clutched pictures of his daughters Roya, 22, and Norelle, 25, as he recounted to Mayor Eric Adams — who visited the exhibit Tuesday — how they were slaughtered and burned by Hamas terrorists armed with hand grenades.
He broke down in tears and collapsed into Adams, who embraced him.
Nova festival cofounder Ofir Amir, 41, who was shot in both legs fleeing from Hamas terrorists, had left the exhibit five minutes before protesters arrived Monday, lit flares and chanted “Long live in the Intifada.”
The callous display left Amir, questioning how he could face such a scene in the US.
“We came here just out of the love for the music and the festival. It has nothing to do with politics,” he told The Post.
“Why do you hate us so much?”
He said he wishes he could speak to the protesters. “They don’t want to talk,” he added.
Tal Shimony had finished telling the story an audience of 100 about her escape from terrorists at Nova when a producer delivered the shocking news: “There’s an intifada outside.”
“It was triggering,” said Shimony, 25.
“I had a panic attack. I was shocked. I thought, ‘How can this be happening?’” said the Israeli, adding that she saw a mob armed with Hamas and Hezbollah flags outside. “I thought, ‘How can this be happening again?’”
Even those who hadn’t lived through the terror attacks were left shaken by the protesters.
Jessica Brucker, 29, a sales manager who develops events for Bisnow, found the exhibit itself especially “profound,” given her Jewish heritage and love of music.
But she had little time to reflect, because as she neared the end security guards had blocked the exits to keep exhibit goers safely inside as the protest cleared.
“People are outside lighting fires and wishing for more deaths,” she said. “To me, that doesn’t make sense.”
“The best word to describe it, honestly, is just ‘sad.’”
A day later, exhibit goers condemned the contrast between the memorial and the actions of protesters outside.
“I think they should be arrested or put in an insane asylum,” said emotional Manhattan resident Denise after leaving the exhibit. “I think they don’t have a clue.”
