Brooklyn Woman Arrested for Social Media Threats Against Schools
A woman from Brooklyn, who previously served as a youth organizer for Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, was taken into custody on Friday after allegedly urging her 25,000 social media followers to “attack” public high schools while Jewish students were present.
Iman Abdul, 27, is accused of sharing a Google Maps screenshot indicating the location of Leon M. Goldstein High School in Manhattan Beach, along with a caption that seemed threatening.
Her post included a message suggesting that anyone looking to target New York public schools should focus on those with “all Lexus driving Israhel (sic) are here.”
The NYPD arrested Abdul at her home in Brooklyn, charging her with making terrorist threats, endangering children, aggravated harassment, and creating a substantial risk of harm.
In a past interview, Abdul discussed her role at City College in New York, where she studies pediatric education, sociology, and Latino studies. She also worked with a group called IntegrateNYC, which advocates against racism in schools.
The Instagram post prompted warnings that urged Jewish advocates fighting against anti-Semitism to take action. Comments highlighted that marking schools for potential attacks escalated fear among the Jewish community.
Commissioner Jessica Tish, who is Jewish, alerted the NYPD intelligence unit about the threat immediately after learning of it.
The watchdog organization StopAntisemitism condemned the post, emphasizing the necessity of prosecuting such instigations against Jewish communities, especially minors, to the fullest extent of the law.
Abdul later explained that she didn’t mean for her comments to be taken as a call for physical attacks; rather, she felt justified in verbally criticizing what she termed a Zionist institution. Her Instagram account has since been taken down along with her LinkedIn page.
The high school, which has around 998 students, hosts an Israel Club aimed at educating students about Jewish heritage and celebrating related holidays. A local educator expressed concern, stating that this type of hostility was a result of longstanding biases in educational institutions.
Abdul could not be contacted for further comment.
