Citigroup urges staffers to ‘keep cool’ as anti-Israel protesters surround NYC headquarters

Citigroup urged employees to “keep their cool” as anti-Israel protesters blockaded the Wall Street giant’s New York headquarters.

Video obtained by the Post shows pro-Palestinian protesters blocking the entrance to Citi’s offices in lower Manhattan, waving signs and chanting slogans including “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and “From the sea to the river, Palestine will live forever.”

That’s a shift versus earlier demonstrations over the past three weeks, during which climate activists dressed in orca costumes had gathered outside Citi’s offices chanting “sink their yachts,” sparking scuffles in the plaza and numerous arrests.

“I know many of you have been offended by some of the language and actions, as have I, but we have to keep our cool,” Ed Skyler, Citigroup’s head of enterprise services and public affairs, said in an internal memo this week that was obtained by the Post.

“We respect the right to protest, but not at the expense of our colleagues’ safety nor when others perpetuate abuse or hatred,” Skyler said. “Simply put, we do not tolerate acts of intimidation and violence, and we denounce antisemitism, Islamophobia, acts of hatred, discrimination and prejudice of any kind.”

Anti-Israel protestors have attacked an alleged financial agreement by Citigroup to support Israel’s purchase of fighter jets from the US government.