NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — New York City marked the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel on Wednesday, a day that was filled with both anguish and anger from both sides of the ongoing conflict.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced criticism from multiple sides during a vigil in Union Square marking the attack that killed more than 1,200 Israeli civilians.
CeFaan Kim has more on the day of remembrances and protests across the city.
The event, described as a show of solidarity and resilience honoring those killed and remembering their pain, was marked by tension and confrontation. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators interrupted portions of the gathering, chanting: “It’s not complicated! It’s not complicated! Gaza will be liberated! Gaza will be liberated!”
Mamdani was met with chants of “traitor” and “sellout” and faced jeers from some attendees. The mayor, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and former City Comptroller Brad Lander were criticized by some within their political base during efforts to promote unity.
Mayor Mamdani booed as he arrives at Oct. 7 vigil in Union Square
Messages from the stage expressing sympathy for the 74,000 Palestinian lives lost in Gaza were met with opposition from some in attendance.
“If the Israeli army enters Rafa we may all die. Time is running out, the bombing continues, and no one has moved to save us yet. Thank you all for organizing this protest for innocent lives on both sides every week,” one speaker said.
Williams addressed the competing grief surrounding the conflict.
“I’m trying to make sure I lift up the pain of everybody. I think too often people are trying to force people to choose. I’m not choosing. Theres a lot of pain. There’s a lot of death. There’s a lot of innocent people who lost their lives,” he said.
Earlier Wednesday, NewsCopter 7 observed pro-Palestinian demonstrators marching from City Hall, where flags were flying at half-staff. Students at Columbia University also staged a walkout.
In Gravesend, Brooklyn, some New York City councilmembers called for a permanent memorial at the Mickey Kairey Garden to honor those who were killed and those who were taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023. The memorial would occupy a 6-by-6-foot footprint and would become what supporters say is the first public memorial of its kind in the city. Supporters say it would provide a permanent space to remember those who were murdered and taken hostage, while educating future generations so the atrocities are never forgotten.
In Tenafly, New Jersey, the family of former hostage Edan Alexander joined Rep. Josh Gottheimer to announce legislation aimed at helping survivors, victims and families.
Meanwhile, the mayor drew additional criticism after releasing an Oct. 7 statement earlier Wednesday. In the statement, he described the anniversary as “profoundly painful.”
“We grieve alongside our many friends and neighbors who still carry that unthinkable loss. The suffering did not begin nor end that day,” the statement said in part.
The statement also described Israel’s response in Gaza as an “ongoing genocide,” condemned U.S. military support for Israel and added that “we must refuse to accept a world in which occupation and apartheid continue.”
The post prompted backlash from Jewish organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League, marking the latest development in the mayor’s complex and often tense relationship with New York’s Jewish population.
“The city with the largest population of Jews outside of Israel, deserves a mayor who can mourn their dead with them without engaging in such political grandstanding,” the Anti-Defamation League said in a statement.
The New York Board of Rabbis also criticized the statement.
“This is a day of mourning for us. Just give us that day. We can have all the other discussions, debates, on different days. But don’t do it today,” Rabbi Joe Potasnik said.
Mamdani campaigned as a strong defender of Palestinian rights. As mayor, he has sought to balance that position while also participating in Jewish holiday observances.
He did not make any public remarks during Tuesday’s vigil.
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