Arrest of Brooklyn Woman Linked to Threats Against Jewish Students
New York police have apprehended a woman from Brooklyn who previously served as a youth organizer for Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, amidst serious charges that suggest the potential for terrorist threats toward public high schools with Jewish students.
Iman Abdul, 27, came under scrutiny after featuring the site of Leon M. Goldstein High School in Manhattan Beach on Google Maps in a now-deleted Instagram post that garnered attention from 25,000 followers. Reports indicate that her post included incendiary remarks about attacks on New York public schools.
One statement read, “If you need New York public schools to attack for any reason… Zionists will be here.” There was also a reference to a program that offers free trips to Israel for young Jewish adults, which she suggested was significant in the context of her comments.
Her actions were reported by a U.S.-based advocacy organization, StopAntisemitism, which subsequently shared an image of her on social media.
On Friday, officers from the NYPD arrested Abdul at her home in Brooklyn. She now faces several serious charges, including creating a terrorist threat and endangering children. Reports noted that she had previously worked on campaigns for various leftist politicians, including Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Julia Salazar, during the summer of 2018.
In an interview from 2019, Abdul was described as a student at City College in New York, where she was majoring in childhood education, sociology, and Latino studies. At that time, she was recognized as a director of a group advocating against “racism” in municipal schools.
Jewish activist Tova Plaut expressed grave concern over Abdul’s remarks, stating, “This is not just a danger. It is evil.” She called for immediate action, highlighting that public schools marked for potential attack due to their Jewish population is deeply troubling.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed that the threat was taken seriously and that the department’s intelligence units were alerted promptly.
Supporters of Israel, such as Uli Cohen, also flagged Abdul’s post as filled with anti-Semitic content, which has since drawn significant attention online. Cohen shared a video from Abdul’s account that showed her dismissing the police complaints, claiming her right to free speech had been violated.
Attempts to reach Abdul for comment were unsuccessful.
