Ocasio-Cortez Criticizes Protesters in Queens

On Friday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York expressed her disapproval of protesters who marched through a largely Jewish area in Queens.

A video surfaced showing demonstrators chanting, “Say it loud, say it clearly, we support Hamas here.” Ocasio-Cortez shared this video, labeling the march as anti-Semitic due to its location.

In her remarks, she stated, “Marching into majority-Jewish neighborhoods and leading the march with the slogan ‘We support Hamas’ is disgusting and anti-Semitic. Pretty basic!”

On Thursday, protestors in Queens called out pro-Hamas slogans and pushed for the early closing of a daycare, two elementary schools, and nearby religious centers. This demonstration followed a social media post from the group Pal Awda, which claimed that a synagogue hosted an event related to Israeli real estate activities.

New York State Assemblyman Sam Berger noted that local Jewish institutions opted to shut down due to police warnings about the protests. He mentioned that the demonstrations led to early closures and disrupted daily routines. He urged New York Mayor Zoran Mamdani to publicly denounce the events.

“Safety measures are established, and I trust the NYPD to keep our communities safe,” Berger commented. “Yet, I am very concerned that these protests result in the early closure of essential services, impacting the daily lives of working New Yorkers. For the NYC Mayor who claims to stand firm with his Jewish community, I call on @ZohranKMamdani to immediately denounce this demonstration.”

Mamdani had previously condemned the protests that occurred outside a synagogue in Queens, where pro-Palestinian demonstrators expressed support for Hamas, and counter-protesters reacted with slurs. He denounced the rhetoric and actions as unacceptable in New York City.

His handling of the situation has drawn criticism, especially after he hesitated to comment on whether Hamas should disarm after a proposed peace deal, which included a call for Hamas to relinquish control over Gaza.

Mamdani stated, “I believe that any future here in New York City must be affordable for everyone. Regarding Israel and Palestine, we need to ensure peace, and that’s the future we should all strive for.”