Thousands of protesters forced the closure of Grand Central station in New York on Friday night in a large sit-in against Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.

The demonstration, made up mostly of Jewish New Yorkers, took over the main hall of the iconic station and blocked its main concourse.

Organisers called the peaceful sit-in “the largest civil disobedience New York City has seen in 20 years”.

The New York Police Department said at least 200 people had been arrested, while protest organisers put the number at more than 300.