NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemns pro-Hamas chants, slurs at Queens synagogue protest

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday condemned the language and conduct displayed during a protest outside a synagogue in Queens, where pro-Palestinian demonstrators chanted in support of Hamas while pro-Israel counter-protesters shouted racial, homophobic and violent slurs, according to The New York Times.

The protest took place Thursday night in Kew Gardens Hills, a Queens neighbourhood with a large Orthodox Jewish population, outside an event promoting American real estate investment in Jerusalem—parts of which are considered occupied territory by much of the international community.

According to the report, some demonstrators chanted, “Say it loud, say it clear, we support Hamas here,” while opposing groups exchanged threats and abusive slogans across a police-secured street.

In a statement issued Friday, Mamdani said, “The rhetoric and displays that we saw are wrong and have no place in our city.” He added that his administration was in close coordination with the New York Police Department to ensure public safety while safeguarding the constitutional right to protest.

“My team is in close touch with the N.Y.P.D. regarding last night’s protest and counterprotest,” Mamdani said. “We will continue to ensure New Yorkers’ safety while entering and exiting houses of worship.”

Following criticism that he had not explicitly condemned Hamas, Mamdani later posted on social media, stating, “Chants in support of a terrorist organisation have no place in our city.”

Footage of the pro-Hamas chant circulated widely on social media after being shared by an Israeli journalist, drawing condemnation from several elected officials.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said, “Hamas is a terrorist organisation that calls for the genocide of Jews. No matter your political beliefs, this type of rhetoric is disgusting, dangerous and has no place in New York.”

State Attorney General Letitia James added, “Hamas is a terrorist organisation. We do not support terrorists. Period.”

Newly elected City Council Speaker Julie Menin said that openly sympathising with Hamas in a predominantly Jewish neighbourhood “stokes fear and division” and pledged to fight antisemitism in all forms.

According to The New York Times, tensions escalated as the evening progressed. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators reportedly shouted antisemitic slurs and questioned Israel’s right to exist, while pro-Israel demonstrators chanted slogans such as “death to Palestine,” voiced support for immigration enforcement agencies, and hurled expletive-laden insults at the mayor.

The report also said some counter-protesters issued threats of sexual violence and death toward individuals in the crowd, including a journalist, and waved flags associated with President Donald Trump and the far-right Orthodox Kach movement, which was banned from Israeli elections in the 1980s for inciting racism.

The protest occurred outside Agudath Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, which hosted the real estate event. A synagogue representative declined to comment. A spokesperson for the Yeshiva of Central Queens, which shares the address, said students were dismissed early and that the school was not associated with the event or protests.

William Maiman, a 69-year-old local resident who attended in support of Israel, described the neighbourhood as a “modern Orthodox fortress” and said holding the protest there felt threatening. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators, however, disputed claims that criticism of Zionism equated to antisemitism.

The incident marks the latest flashpoint involving Mayor Mamdani and the Israel-Palestinian conflict. His response contrasted with his handling of a similar protest outside a Manhattan synagogue in November, when he criticised both protest rhetoric and the synagogue for hosting an event promoting settlement-linked immigration.

In one of his first executive actions as mayor, Mamdani last week directed the police and city law department to review proposals aimed at restricting disruptive protests outside houses of worship.

While Mamdani has faced criticism from pro-Israel groups and Israel’s government, particularly after rescinding two pro-Israel executive orders issued by his predecessor, he has also received support from Jewish voters who say they are either aligned with or untroubled by his pro-Palestinian views.

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