New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has condemned chants supporting Hamas during a heated protest outside a synagogue in Queens, calling the group a terrorist organization and saying such rhetoric has no place in the city.
The protest, held Thursday night and organized by the Palestinian Assembly for Liberation (PAL-Awda), drew both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel demonstrators. According to a report by The New York Times, some protesters chanted slogans in support of Hamas, including “Say it loud, say it clear, we support Hamas here,” while counter-protesters shouted racial and homophobic slurs.
Responding to questions about the incident, Mamdani said the rhetoric and displays seen at the protest were unacceptable.
“The rhetoric and displays we saw last night were wrong and have no place in New York City,” Mamdani said in a statement to the New York Times.
He added that his office was coordinating closely with the New York Police Department to ensure public safety.
“We will continue to ensure New Yorkers’ safety entering and exiting houses of worship, while also protecting the constitutional right to protest,” the statement said.
After facing criticism for not explicitly naming Hamas in his initial remarks, Mamdani later clarified his position in a post on X.
“As I said earlier today, chants in support of a terrorist organization have no place in our city,” he wrote.
Several other New York leaders also denounced the pro-Hamas chants.
New York Attorney General Letitia James stated, “Hamas is a terrorist organization. We do not support terrorists. Period.”
Governor Kathy Hochul echoed that sentiment, calling the rhetoric “disgusting” and “dangerous,” and saying it has no place in New York regardless of political views.
U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also criticized the protest, writing on X that marching into a predominantly Jewish neighborhood while chanting support for Hamas was “disgusting and antisemitic.”
Authorities continue to review the events surrounding the protest as city officials emphasize both public safety and the protection of lawful protest rights.