Violence erupted Friday evening at Washington Square Park in Manhattan during a vigil organized for Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after a counter-protester tore down a photo of the cleric, leading to a confrontation that left the man bloodied and several people taken into custody.
The incident occurred during a small gathering where roughly 25 people had assembled to commemorate Khamenei, who was killed last Saturday during a joint U.S.–Israeli military strike known as “Operation Fury.”
The operation targeted Iranian leadership and infrastructure, with Israeli missiles striking Khamenei’s compound.
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Police officers from the New York Police Department were present at the park attempting to keep separate two opposing groups gathered at the site.
According to witnesses and video footage captured by FreedomNTV, tensions escalated when a counter-protester approached the vigil and removed a photo of Khamenei.
The man, identified as Rami Even-Esh, shouted “Take this down!” as he pulled the image from the display set up by mourners. Moments later, several people from the vigil crowd confronted him.
Video from the scene shows Even-Esh being knocked to the ground by individuals in the group.
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Some participants, including several wearing keffiyehs, were seen kicking him while he lay on the pavement.
Police officers quickly moved in to break up the confrontation.
Officers pulled Even-Esh away from the crowd and placed him in handcuffs as blood ran from the top of his nose.
NYC: Bloody fight breaks out after counter protester attempts to remove a poster from Ayatollah Khamenei VIGIL in NYC Park
Multiple Arrests and a man left bleeding. pic.twitter.com/0rotZsPgCz
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) March 6, 2026
As officers escorted him away, Even-Esh explained why he had approached the vigil and removed the image of the Iranian leader.
“He’s a terrorist who’s killed American soldiers and I think it was insane that I was right there and there was a vigil so I just took the sign down. I felt that was the right thing to do,” the victim told The Post as cops led him away.
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