NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani remained silent Friday morning as Gov. Kathy Hochul sharply condemned protesters who chanted in support of Hamas outside a Queens synagogue, drawing a stark contrast in responses from the state’s top two Democratic leaders.

“Hamas is a terrorist organization that calls for the genocide of Jews,” Hochul said in a post on social media. “No matter your political beliefs, this type of rhetoric is disgusting, it’s dangerous, and it has no place in New York.”

Hamas is a terrorist organization that calls for the genocide of Jews.
No matter your political beliefs, this type of rhetoric is disgusting, it’s dangerous, and it has no place in New York. pic.twitter.com/Uz74y6uHBB
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) January 9, 2026

Mamdani made no public statement about the protest, and his office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The rally, held Thursday evening in the Kew Gardens Hills section of Queens, marked the first major anti-Israel demonstration since Mamdani took office last week.

The protest was organized by the activist group Pal-Awda and targeted an event promoting Israeli real estate that was being held at the Young Israel synagogue. Demonstrators chanted, “Say it loud, say it clear, we support Hamas here,” along with other slogans including “Death to the IDF” and “Intifada people’s war.”

Hamas is designated by the United States as a terrorist organization, though verbal expressions of support are protected under U.S. free speech law.

New York City police deployed heavily to the scene, setting up metal barricades and keeping protesters about half a block from the synagogue entrance. Officers separated demonstrators from Jewish counter-protesters across the street as traffic in the area was shut down. No injuries were reported and police said there were no arrests.

Roughly 200 anti-Israel demonstrators took part, along with a slightly smaller number of counter-protesters from the neighborhood who waved Israeli and American flags and chanted patriotic slogans.

Activists protested outside a synagogue, chanting, “Say it loud, say it clear, we support Hamas here.”
Whatever the amnesia surrounding 10/7, the truth must never be forgotten: Hamas murdered, maimed, mutilated, raped, and tortured thousands of innocent Israelis. It is—and has… pic.twitter.com/JeGh1XzA2A
— Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) January 9, 2026

New York State Assemblymember Sam Berger, who represents the area, said the demonstration forced the early closure of after-school programs at a daycare and two nearby elementary schools because of security concerns.

“This is a residential neighborhood with a lot of young families,” Berger said. “People were genuinely worried about the safety of their children.”

Community leaders said the chants crossed a line from protest into intimidation. Sorolle Idels, founder of the Queens Jewish Alliance, said residents were urged to avoid the area during the demonstration. “We don’t welcome this kind of disturbance in a quiet community,” she said.

Pal-Awda said the rally was aimed at Israeli real estate marketing, not the synagogue itself, which rented out its space for the event. Similar demonstrations have taken place in Jewish neighborhoods in recent years, drawing criticism from community members who say protests are often staged at synagogues even when congregations are not organizing the events.

Hochul’s condemnation came as she prepares to unveil a proposal creating “safety zones” around houses of worship, limiting how close demonstrations can occur to religious sites. Under the plan, protesters would be required to remain at least 25 feet away from entrances.

The episode also comes amid a broader rise in antisemitic incidents across New York City. According to NYPD data released this week, Jews were the targets of 330 hate crimes in 2025 — more than all other groups combined — heightening concern about security for Jewish communities.

While Hochul moved quickly to denounce the rhetoric used at Thursday’s protest, Mamdani’s continued silence on Friday underscored growing pressure on the new mayor to define how he will respond to demonstrations that many Jewish leaders say cross the line into open support for violence.

Jooish News

Jooish News