Apparently, some things never change. On Friday morning, the media was flooded with reviews and analysis of President Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance on Thursday night. Even the traditionally docile Associated Press felt compelled to publish a video featuring a seasoned debate analyst who described it as "probably the worst debate performance of an incumbent candidate ever." It felt as if the political playing field had shifted. Even some Democrats were muttering about whether or not it would be possible to replace Biden on the ticket. But that didn't slow down The Big Guy. He headed out for another big-dollar fundraiser in New York City with his celebrity friends. The other thing that didn't change was the crowd of pro-Hamas protesters who showed up to pillory the President with the usual chants of "Genocide Joe." Candidates may come and go, but it appears that the rampant antisemitism on the left is here to stay. And this time they attacked the police. (NY Post)

Anti-Israel protesters trying to disrupt President Biden’s big-money Manhattan fundraiser Friday night clashed with cops and set off smoke bombs — leading to dozens of arrests, sources said.

At least 32 demonstrators were arrested as they marched from Madison Square Garden toward the Hammerstein Ballroom on West 34th Street in Midtown, police sources said.

Video shows the mob of protesters — many of them masked — and police in riot gear trading shoves as they met on the sidewalk on the corner of West 34th Street and Eighth Avenue, less than a block from the venue.

These protesters came prepared, carrying smoke bombs and makeshift shields, in addition to facemasks to conceal their identities. They charged the lines of police officers and managed to break into a couple of buildings briefly. In an unusual exception to most of these riots, a group took credit for organizing and supplying the protesters. Within Our Lifetime is an anti-Israel group that organized the riot and scheduled the events using social media outlets. The group is led by Nerdeen Kiswani, a Palestinian-Muslim American activist who attacks the Democrats with the same vigor that he musters against Republicans or anyone who supports the right of Israel to exist. Here's an example of some of his "work" on social media.

As a mvmt we have been too generous - too liberal- in not confronting the dems betraying our struggle, including the squad. 9 months into a genocide we normalize their poor track record for fear of division that would hurt the mvmt, while their party hurts and kills our people.

— Nerdeen Kiswani (@NerdeenKiswani) June 25, 2024

The response of the police was rather telling during this mayhem. Biden's event was held inside the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan. Tickets ranged from $250 for a spot in the cheap seats up on the balcony to an eye-watering half million dollars for a table down on the floor. After the protesters charged the cops, at least 32 of them were arrested, and this time they were not immediately released. Apparently you can sack local government offices or loot storefronts and get off with a slap on the wrist. But if you dare to try to approach Joe Biden and his rich, powerful friends, you'll have the book thrown at you. 

There is some video from the protest available in the linked article. It's really not all that different from what we've seen over the past several months as the antisemitic mobs have grown increasingly bold and violent. Now they're going after the NYPD directly. There was a time when that sort of behavior would land you in a cell, likely in need of some medical attention. That's clearly not so much the case these days, and these protesters know it. 

The other reality that seems increasingly clear is that the tiny minority of people in the country who support Hamas and are crying out for "intifada" against the Jews are not going away. Joe Biden's efforts to appease them have had no effect and they pay no mind to law enforcement. This cannot be allowed to become a permanent fixture in our society, but it's unclear what can be done about it in the short term.