New Yorkers from across the city responded on Wednesday to the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel with a range of emotions that prompted them to protest, speak up or just share their thoughts on an ongoing political issue that has continued to divide people of all backgrounds across the world.
On what is a solemn day for many New Yorkers, Americans and Israelis who lost loved ones on Oct. 7, 2023, it also saw hundreds of demonstrators flood the streets of Lower Manhattan near City Hall to protest what they described as a liberation in action event in support of Palestine.
That came hours after Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a statement that offended many Jewish New Yorkers in which, after professing sympathy for those killed in the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, he again repeated assertions that the Israeli government was responsible for a “genocide” and “apartheid” in Gaza.
During the afternoon, protesters marching through Lower Manhattan held Palestinian flags and covered their faces with medical masks and keffiyehs — traditional Middle Eastern scarves — as they chanted “Free Palestine,” “Long Live Palestine” and other pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel messages.
Pro-Palestinian protest in Lower Manhattan on Oct. 7, 2026.Photo by Dean Moses
Some carried Israeli flags with the words “Death Cult” written over them in black and red ink. Others carried signs questioning Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s commitment to dismantling NYPD units, including the Strategic Response Group that responds to mass protests in the city.
Many painted red colors on their faces, possibly to symbolize blood.
Pockets of smaller counter protests took place throughout the massive crowds in support of Israel.
Pro-Palestinian counter protest.Photo by Dean Moses
Outside of the protest activity, politicians did not shy away from sharing their sentiments about the day of mourning, when Hamas terrorists stormed Israel, slaughtered more than 1,500 people and took 251 others hostage for nearly two years. The attack led to the brutal war between the terrorist organization and Israel in Gaza, as well as a humanitarian crisis that has left tens of thousands of people — mostly Palestinians — in the area dead.
A pro-Palestine protester appears to hide his or her identity.Photo by Dean Moses
Gov. Kathy Hochul directed flags on state buildings to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Wednesday in honor of the victims of the attack. She called it a “massacre” and described Oct. 7 as the “deadliest day” for Jewish people since the Holocaust.
“The pain of that dark day has not faded. But neither has the strength, resilience and enduring hope of the Jewish people,” the governor said. “Today, we remember the innocent lives stolen, stand with the survivors and the families forever changed, and pray for a lasting peace.”
Landmarks in New York will also be illuminated in yellow in solidarity with the Israeli people, per the governor’s office.
Jewish leaders push back on Mamdani’s statement
Mamdani, at press time, has not issued a similar order for the city, but released a statement in which he acknowledged the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and Israeli victims, but mostly condemned Israel’s military actions in Gaza and called for an end to U.S. support for the war.
“Three years later, we must refuse to accept a world in which occupation and apartheid continue, where war crimes are met with impunity, and our federal government continues its complicity with every arms shipment,” part of the statement read.
A barber works on a client’s hair as a pro-Palestine protest continues outside on Oct. 7 2026.Photo by Dean Moses
Jewish leaders across the city immediately pushed back against the mayor’s statement, with many even going so far as to call it a “disgrace” to those killed in the Middle East.
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, which combats antisemitism, felt the mayor’s statement was politicizing a day of remembrance.
“Not once do you say ‘Jews.’ On Oct. 7, Hamas-led attackers murdered civilians, committed sexual violence, mutilated bodies and took hostages,” Greenblatt said. “You are weaponizing a day meant for mourning the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust to recycle your usual anti-Zionist talking points.”
He also pointed to NYC’s large population of Jewish people — nearly 1 million, according to the UJA-Federation of New York.
“The city with the largest Jewish population outside Israel deserves a mayor who can honor the dead without exploiting them,” Greenblatt said.
A group of people holds the Israeli flag on Oct. 7, 2026.Photo by Dean Moses
Ambassador Ofir Akunis, Israel’s consul general in New York, sharply criticized the mayor’s way of marking the anniversary.
“The mayor’s statement is a disgrace, shame, and insult to the memory of those who were murdered on October 7,” Akunis said.
Akunis accused Mamdani of using antisemitic rhetoric and said New Yorkers should be outraged by his comments.
“Mamdani, displaying a shocking lack of basic humanity, continues to spread antisemitic blood libels against the Jewish state,” he said. “New York City should be appalled that its mayor shows such contempt for the memory of those who were murdered.”
This year, Oct. 5 marked Israel’s national day of commemoration for the Oct. 7 terror attack. Akunis commemorated the anniversary on Monday at Kehilath Jeshurun Synagogue on the Upper East Side, where he gave a speech about the attack.
A statement from the Israeli-American Council echoed similar sentiments.
“This is not a one-time lapse. Every year, on the anniversary of the day our community buries its dead, the mayor reaches for the same blood libel against the Jewish state,” part of the statement read. “Rhetoric like this doesn’t stay online – it is exactly the kind of messaging that has fueled a documented rise in antisemitic incidents across New York City.”
Congress Member Hakeem Jeffries discusses policy
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn) did not stray from his history of recognizing the anniversary of Oct. 7.
“We continue to mourn with the loved ones of those who were killed on that tragic day and stand with all still healing, including former hostages recovering from unimaginable horror,” he said in a statement.
He reiterated that he believes in a Jewish state existing in the Middle East.
“America must remain committed to Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state, living in safety and security with its neighbors,” Jeffries’ statement continued. “We must permanently remove Hamas from power, eradicate terror and strive for a just and lasting peace in the region.”
Brooklyn Congress Member and House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.Photo by Dean Moses
He added that he wants the fighting to end, highlighted the deaths of Palestinian civilians and outlined what he believes the United States should do.
“We must commit to the creation of an independent Palestinian state to provide dignity, respect and self-determination for the Palestinian people,” he said. “We must also support a new generation of Palestinian leaders and put an end to the egregious settler violence in the West Bank. Nothing short of a future that involves Israel and a Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace and prosperity is acceptable.”
Meanwhile, Congress Member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Queens and Bronx) recently stated she will not support sending U.S. military aid to Israel. amNewYork contacted her office for comment on the Oct. 7 anniversary but did not receive a response.
amNewYork also contacted CAIR New York, the local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, for comment on the anniversary and continuing conflict and crisis, but did not receive a response.
New Yorkers reflect on the Oct. 7 anniversary
Lyss Stern, a Manhattan mother of three, said she does not have the words to describe how she feels after hearing Mandami’s statement on tackling antisemitism. As a mother, a Jewish woman, and someone deeply concerned about the world, she said it feels almost impossible to process.
“I truly feel like we are living in an AI horror film where you can’t believe what you’re seeing, hearing, or experiencing, and yet somehow it’s real,” she said. “I have a pit in my stomach. I have fear. I have questions. And I refuse to ignore that feeling, because when it comes to our children and the rise of antisemitism, silence is not an option.”
Demonstrators at a pro-Palestine protest in Lower Manhattan on Oct. 7, 2026.Photo by Dean Moses
Marc Weiss, who lives in Staten Island, said he is a staunch supporter of free speech, but would have preferred a pause in protests on Wednesday out of respect for those who are mourning the lives lost on Oct. 7.
“We all have a right to freedom of speech, but on a day like 10/7 where so many families as well as the whole Jewish community is grieving, all protests should be put aside out of respect to the survivors,” he said. “There are 364 other days of the year for them to take to the streets and spread their venom. Oct. 7 should be a day for them to show some humanity.”
Lana Serper, also of Staten Island, said she “feels horrible” about Oct. 7.
I feel horrible. It’s unimaginable how people can be so cruel,” she said. “So many innocent civilians were brutally murdered. Entire families.”