New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani commented Wednesday for the first time on a violent pro-Palestinian protest held the previous day outside the Park East Synagogue in Manhattan, where one police officer was injured, but directed his criticism at the synagogue’s event - an Israel real estate fair.
“I’ve been clear to New Yorkers, my honest opinions about the fact that when we have a real estate expo that is promoting the sale of land, which includes the sale of land in occupied West Bank in settlements that are a violation of international law, that that is something that I firmly disagree with,” Mamdani said at a news conference.
Mamdani on the pro-Palestinian demonstration
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The protest lasted about 3½ hours and was organized by the anti-Israel group Pal-Awda NY against an Israeli real estate fair held at the Orthodox synagogue. The fair included properties in Gush Etzion.
Although the demonstrations took place outside a synagogue, he said: “Criticism of a government’s policy is entirely separate from racism against members of a particular faith.”
Anti-Israel protest outside the Park East Synagogue in New York
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Police hold back anti-Israel protesters outside Park East Synagogue
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Mamdani did not condemn the protest and appeared to back it in his remarks. Videos from the scene showed demonstrators waving Hezbollah flags, tearing down a sign bearing the image of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and shouting antisemitic slogans at passersby trying to enter the synagogue. One protester was seen wearing a hat with the word “Hezbollah,” while others shouted, “Palestine is ours alone,” “Settlers go home” and “Death to the IDF.” Pro-Israel demonstrators facing them responded, “There is no Palestine,” and called the protest organizers “terrorists.”
“He further inflamed tensions on an already volatile situation,” the Anti-Defamation League’s New York/New Jersey branch said after Mamdani’s comments. “The mayor had a responsibility to de-escalate. He did the opposite.”
New York police said an officer was taken to a hospital with a leg injury after protesters tried to forcibly remove barriers set up around the synagogue, and water was sprayed at officers from a nearby building. Police had blocked the streets in advance to prevent scenes similar to a protest near the synagogue in November, when demonstrators prevented visitors from entering. Despite the violence, no arrests were made this time either.
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Protest against Israel in front of the Park East Synagogue in New York
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The violent protest drew angry reactions locally and federally. Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general at the U.S. Justice Department, called the demonstration “disturbing” and said the Civil Rights Division would open an investigation.
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman criticized members of his party, saying a mob of Hezbollah and Hamas supporters had rampaged against law enforcement and “terrorized” the Jewish community. He asked where his party’s condemnation was.
Daniel Rosenthal, vice president for government relations at the UJA-Federation of New York, also criticized the events. Referring to Mamdani’s statement, he said it “ignores the protesters’ violent rhetoric.”