Free Republic

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters swarmed the streets surrounding Rockefeller Center Wednesday, clashing with NYPD cops and chanting “river to the sea,” long seen as an antisemetic slogan, in an effort to derail the annual tree lighting in support of Gaza. Waving Palestinian flags and signs calling for the “end to genocide,” the ralliers gathered along Sixth Avenue alongside hordes of tourists waiting in line to see the iconic ceremony. Unable to get to the NYC Christmas tree, the enormous crowd instead swarmed around the tree outside the News Corp building, which houses The Post and Fox News, and has already...

New York City is on high alert after a pro-Palestinian group announced its plans to 'flood the tree lighting for Gaza,' ahead of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree lighting.

The United Nations has joined LGBT Pride Month. This Tuesday, the iconic Rockefeller Center, in New York City, was filled with rainbow flags, replacing the 193 flags that are usually found in the plaza, one for each country that belongs to the United Nations: The initiative sparked a lot of criticism on social media. Some users criticized replacing country flags with the LGBT flag. Others complained that the display in honor of Pride Month is larger than the one for Christmas. In addition, many Americans have criticized the UN for making such a statement at Rockefeller Center. Many consider the...

He’s the Grinch who stole your wallet. A serial pickpocket with more than 30 busts under his belt was pinched again last week while targeting unsuspecting tourists at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, only to be dumped back on the street the next day, law-enforcement sources and authorities told The Post. Gary Teasley, 65 — who has been known to wear snazzy outfits, including a long dark fur coat and fashionable hat, during his alleged crimes — is so familiar to cops that they’re on a first-name basis, a source said. Teasley is such an illicit pro that he also...

Breaking911

For years, Bryant Park Grill & Cafe in Midtown Manhattan has been one of the country’s top-grossing restaurants, the star property in Ark Restaurants’ portfolio of 20 restaurants across the United States. But what propelled it to the top has vanished. The tourists are gone, the office towers surrounding it are largely empty and the restaurant’s 1,000-seat dining room is closed. Instead, dinner is cooked and served on its patio, and the scaled-down restaurant brings in about $12,000 a day — an 85 percent plunge in revenue, its chief executive said. Five months into the pandemic, the drastic turn of...

In the heart of Manhattan, national chains including J.C. Penney, Kate Spade, Subway and Le Pain Quotidien have shuttered branches for good. Many other large brands, like Victoria’s Secret and the Gap, have kept their high-profile locations closed in Manhattan, while reopening in other states. Michael Weinstein, the chief executive of Ark Restaurants, said he will never open another restaurant in New York. Of Ark Restaurants’ five Manhattan restaurants, only two have reopened, while its properties in Florida — where the virus is far worse — have expanded outdoor seating with tents and tables into their parking lots, serving almost...

A New Jersey man is accused of being a secret Hezbollah operative in the United States for more than a decade, surveilling potential attack sites in New York City, Boston and Washington, prosecutors said Thursday. Alexei Saab, 42, from Morristown, was charged under a nine-count indictment in connection with a range of alleged terror activities. They included providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO) and receiving military-style training from that group, the Justice Department said. “Even though Saab was a naturalized American citizen, his true allegiance was to Hezbollah, the terrorist organization responsible for decades of terrorist...

“The Tonight Show” made its return to New York City with a splashy opening sequence showcasing Grand Central Terminal, the Chrysler Building, Lincoln Center and Jimmy Fallon’s glamorous new studio at Rockefeller Center—a fitting tribute to the place that helped foot the bill. An unconventional 30 percent tax credit aimed at luring “Tonight” away from California after four decades is reportedly saving NBC more than $20 million a year. …

How Riggers Raise the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Thanksgiving is still two weeks away, but the Christmas season officially began today—at least here in New York City—with the installation of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Problem is, how do you install a monster tree in the middle of a crowded plaza? With about 10 guys, a crane, cables and a little eyeballing. Bob Gerosa, a third-generation rigger, runs the family business that erects the tree each year. He told PM that this year's tree weighs approximately 13,000 pounds (about 8 tons). That's actually light for a Rockefeller tree—two years ago...

Folks-- I realize many troops, including families, visiting FR and would like to share our recent photos while in NYC--Rockefeller Center. It was chilly, but as always, NYC shared its warmth and beauty. To all our servicemembers and support staff-- this one is for you! Please, enjoy. Visit http://community.webshots.com/user/luzsa2004(see "nyc holiday 2004" album)Thanks for all you do. Whoooah! -Andy ps: if you're from Philly or Baltimore, will be posting photos (skyline; innner harbor) from those places, shortly. ###

...[T]he TV networks... say they have revamped the way they collect and analyze polling data, using more sophisticated equipment and better communications. To tone down their competitive instincts in "calling" states for either candidate, some are blocking their news desks from watching rivals' shows. All the networks are also striving to get their respective "decision desks" -- the units that make the calls -- to work more closely with the producers and reporters.... CBS News said the computers VNS used weren't sophisticated enough to compare voting data with historical information and were incapable of raising red flags where they were...

<p>June 30, 2004 -- Two security guards working at Iran's U.N. mission were kicked out of the country for spying last week after they were caught videotaping New York City landmarks, authorities said yesterday. It was the fifth incident in less than three years involving Iranian guards.</p>

Associated Press MANCHESTER, Conn. -- A Connecticut tree is destined to spruce up Rockefeller Center for the holiday season. Officials confirmed late Monday that a Manchester family's 79-foot Norway spruce has been chosen as the 2003 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. It will be cut down Tuesday morning and shipped by barge to New York. The tree was one of three in the running for the famed holiday tree. Police kept watch over the tree at night beginning last week to safeguard it, and tree service workers wrapped it on Thursday in preparation for shipping. The tree, which is on the...