UN week brings diplomatic traffic gridlock to New York streets

Barricades and gridlocked avenues have taken over Midtown Manhattan this week as New York City manages the security and logistics of hosting representatives from nearly 200 countries for the UN General Assembly's high-level session, which opened Tuesday and runs through Sept. 28.

The New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) designated Sept. 21-25 as Gridlock Alert Days, with transportation officials warning that average traffic speeds in Midtown can fall below 4 miles per hour during the General Assembly. Officials have encouraged people to use public transportation.

Several major avenues near the UN complex are closed to traffic, along with sections of the highway running along the East River, while rolling and street closures are imposed as delegations move between venues.

New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch has called this year's security operation one of the most complex operations the department carries out. The Secret Service, FBI and UN police are working alongside city police, while more than 20 federal, state and local agencies are supporting the operation. A temporary flight restriction has also been imposed in New York, with unauthorized drones prohibited and NYPD counter-drone teams deployed to address violations.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said New York is "always a target," particularly when thousands of international representatives are present, and said the city has been working with federal authorities to ensure the safety of visitors and residents.

Tisch has said the department expects multiple demonstrations each day during the General Assembly and will facilitate peaceful protests while responding to violence, property destruction or other violations of the law.

Protest activity is expected to increase around Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to the General Assembly on Thursday. Netanyahu is subject to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in November 2024 for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity over the Gaza war. Mayor Mamdani, in a CNN interview on Monday, renewed his call for the warrant to be honored, while acknowledging that New York City does not have the independent legal authority to enforce it.

On Thursday, Jewish and Israeli-American groups are planning a demonstration at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza opposing Netanyahu's policies and calling for an end to the war in Gaza, accountability for alleged war crimes, and a future of justice and peace for Israelis and Palestinians, according to organizers.

Iranian-American groups are also holding rallies Tuesday and Wednesday near the UN, with organizers calling for political change in Iran.