A cluster of New York Democrats whose offices cover New York City, state, and federal government have come out with near-identical statements on X condemning a protest that took place in New York City on January 8, 2026. The protest featured a group of approximately 200 pro-Palestinian agitators chanting pro-Hamas slogans outside a New York City synagogue.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James wrote:
Hamas is a terrorist organization.
We do not support terrorists.
Period.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14) chimed in with:
Hey so marching into a predominantly Jewish neighborhood and leading with a chant saying “we support Hamas” is a disgusting and antisemitic thing to do.
Pretty basic!
Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) added:
Let’s be clear: Hamas is a terrorist organization committed to the destruction of Jews while imposing its brutal rule on Palestinians. Chanting support for Hamas is antisemitic and unacceptable.
This hate must have no place in NYC, in the U.S. or around the world, and must be loudly condemned.
Also contributing was New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani.
As I said earlier today, chants in support of a terrorist organization have no place in our city. We will continue to ensure New Yorkers’ safety entering and exiting houses of worship as well as the constitutional right to protest.
Other New York-based Democrat politicians speaking out on X were Governor Kathy Hochul, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Representative Laura Gillen (D-NY-4), and New York City Councilwoman Linda Lee (District 23).
The phraseology among the messages bears a common thread. Specifically, none mention Israel in any fashion despite the protest being aimed at the country even more so than Jews as a faith or cultural group.
The same Pal-Awda group had previously stoked outrage when they stormed the prominent Park East Synagogue in Manhattan in November as they chanted “Globalize the intifada” and called for the “resistance” to “take another settler out.”
During that incident, roughly 200 protesters descended on the synagogue and heckled Jews attending an event by Nefesh B’nefesh — a Zionist organization that helps Jews immigrate to Israel.
It is curious why this particular protest has drawn such unified opposition, albeit muted to total silence in support of the actual target (Israel). Warranting mention is the tenuous relationship between even the most politically liberal elements of New York City’s Jewish population and Mamdani, who, as one of his first actions upon taking office, canceled his predecessor’s executive orders covering among other things, official action against antisemitic activity. It is logical to suspect no small part of this sudden “we ❤️ Jews” movement is an attempt to reassure a usually solid Democratic voting base that the Democrats, despite their actions and pro-Palestinian poses, actually have the Jewish community’s best interests at heart.
MORE: It’s Time to Escape From New York
It also stands to reason that the Democrats, despite their penchant for knowing so much that isn’t so, are not incapable of reading the signs. The next Bondi Beach is not a matter of if, but when and where, and it is just as likely to take place in the United States as elsewhere in the world. It would behoove the Democrats to make a public play to get ahead of the matter so that, when the next attack occurs, they will have prior public statements to fall back on.
A third element is that, should terror again strike, the Democrats and media can use such statements as a cudgel against conservatives for what the left will describe as its tolerance for antisemites in its midst. Some voices in the alt-right have made no effort to disguise their disdain for not only Israel but Jews in general. This provides rich fodder for the left in its effort to discredit the right through character accusations rather than presenting any cohesive policy arguments in its favor.
There is, of course, the possibility that there is a genuine streak of revulsion among Democrats against antisemitic language and behavior. Regrettably, in today's political world, the honed-by-experience reaction is to act on the fundamental principle that, in such cases, one must assume guilt without proof of innocence.
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