More than 300 Israel supporters from across the tri-state area gathered Tuesday night outside the mayor’s residence, protesting New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Protesters chanted against him, demanded his immediate resignation, and even called for his deportation over what they described as his failure to fight rising antisemitism and extremism in the city. Across the street, a counter-group assembled under a banner reading “Thank you, this week Mayor Mamdani.”
During the protest, organized by #EndJewHatred, demonstrators adopted the familiar chants of pro-Palestinian protesters and shouted toward the mayor’s residence: “Zohran, you can’t hide, we accuse you of hate and lies” and “From the river to the sea, New York City will be free.”
Corey Cohen, 32 and a grandchild of Holocaust survivors, choked back tears as he described the daily fear he experiences as a Zionist Jew in New York, while strangers brand his people as “monsters.” “If people tell me I can’t speak Hebrew because I might get attacked, then Zohran, what are we doing here? People aren’t attacked here for speaking Arabic, French, or Chinese.” Cohen also pointed an accusing finger at the Democratic Party, condemning its inaction since the October 7, 2023 attack that dragged Israel and Gaza into all-out war. “My heart is broken, because Hamas violated human rights.”
Adam and Sandy, an elderly Jewish couple from New Jersey, waved signs reading “Zohran the Destroyer,” with the mayor’s photo superimposed on the villain Emperor Palpatine from the Star Wars films. Adam had a short, sharp message for the mayor: “Resign.” Another protester, 25-year-old Allison from Brooklyn, demanded not only his resignation but openly called for his deportation from the country, as the crowd around her erupted in rhythmic chants: “Deport Mamdani.” It should be noted that Mamdani was born in Uganda and only received U.S. citizenship in 2018.
This protest comes against a backdrop of enormous security tension around the mayor’s residence. The last time protesters gathered outside the home, the NYPD narrowly prevented a mass attack after two ISIS supporters from Pennsylvania threw an improvised explosive device at a crowd of protesters assembled for an anti-Muslim demonstration. The two were arrested and charged with federal terrorism offenses, with protesters now angrily noting that Mayor Mamdani failed and refused to condemn the extremist ISIS operatives immediately after the attempted attack.