New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has strongly criticised chants of “we support Hamas” that were heard during a protest in a predominantly Jewish neighbourhood in Queens, after videos of the incident circulated widely on social media. The footage showed demonstrators waving Palestinian flags and shouting slogans backing Hamas, an organisation designated as terrorist by the United States, though the authenticity of the videos could not be independently verified.
Responding to the controversy, Mamdani said that expressions supporting terrorist groups have no place in the city. At the same time, he emphasised the importance of safeguarding both public safety and constitutional freedoms, including the right to protest. He said the city would continue to ensure the security of people visiting places of worship while upholding lawful demonstrations.
The incident triggered swift condemnation from political leaders across different levels of government. New York Governor Kathy Hochul described the chants as dangerous and deeply offensive, stating that rhetoric promoting Hamas, which she said calls for violence against Jews, is unacceptable in New York. Federal law, she and others noted, prohibits any form of material support for organisations designated as terrorist groups.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also criticised the protest, calling it antisemitic and saying that marching into a Jewish neighbourhood while chanting support for Hamas crossed a clear line. The episode has reignited scrutiny of Mamdani’s past comments, including remarks made during a television interview last year in which he avoided directly condemning Hamas and instead focused on domestic policy issues.
The controversy comes amid heightened tensions across the United States linked to protests and demonstrations following the Israel-Hamas conflict that escalated after the October 7, 2023 attacks, keeping the issue at the centre of political and public debate.