Former Organizer Arrested for Threats Against Jewish Community
A woman has been arrested under suspicion of making intimidating threats toward Jews, including minors. Her past affiliation with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as a youth organizer has raised eyebrows, resulting in a rather unusual response from Ocasio-Cortez’s office.
Iman Abdul, 27, reportedly issued a violent message against Jews via her social media on Thursday. Reports suggest that she is facing serious charges including posing a terrorist threat and harassment. Specifically, she allegedly called for actions against a local Jewish high school and its community.
One of her posts even referenced Leon M. Goldstein High School, urging followers to attack Jewish individuals. “If someone needs New York public schools to attack for any reason… Lexus is driving Israhel Beloved Zionists. Everything is here,” she purportedly wrote before deleting the post.
After her arrest at her Brooklyn home on Friday, it was revealed that she had worked for Ocasio-Cortez in 2018, as well as campaigning for another Democratic Senator, Julia Salazar, who confirmed this information.
Following the circulation of her online comments, Abdul denied any intent to inspire violence, clarifying, “I have never called for an attack on schools… We have all the rights to verbally attack schools.” This is a clear contradiction to her previous statements suggesting violent action.
Ocasio-Cortez’s office released a statement distancing from Abdul, asserting, “This individual is not a campaign staff member and such expressions are unacceptable.” However, the statement did not clarify whether Abdul had been a volunteer, which left some ambiguity in the claims.
In a separate post, New York City Councilman Inna Vernikov reacted strongly, stating that no threats would be tolerated in her district. She labeled Abdul “Hamasnik” and mentioned calling the police regarding the situation, emphasizing the need for safety in local schools.
In the wake of these events, Abdul’s legal representation has refrained from providing any comments on the case. The overall situation has ignited discussions about political affiliations and the potential consequences of violent rhetoric.
