Brad Lander, Jewish Mamdani ally, downplays being berated as a ‘Zionist’ at protest
Times of Israel · LC · trust 16/100
Luke Tress is The Times of Israel's New York correspondent.
NEW YORK — Brad Lander, a prominent leftist Jewish politician in New York City, on Monday downplayed an incident over the weekend in which he was berated as a “Zionist” at a protest opposing a right-wing Hindu group.
Lander is a longtime fixture in leftist politics in the city who won a Congressional primary earlier this year and is expected to win the general election to enter the House of Representatives.
He is a political partner of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Lander acted as Mamdani’s leading Jewish ally in Mamdani’s mayoral campaign, and Mamdani boosted Lander’s Congressional run.
Lander defines himself as a “liberal Zionist,” putting him at odds with parts of the anti-Zionist left in New York. Mamdani and his home base, the far-left Democratic Socialists of America, have endorsed anti-Zionism.
While he acknowledges Israel’s right to continued existence, Lander also accuses Israel of genocide, drawing the ire of many Jews, including Mamdani opponents, who believe Lander helped Mamdani win his mayoral election.
Those tensions spilled over when Lander attended a Saturday protest against a right-wing Hindu group, RSS, which was holding a rally at Madison Square Garden.
Protest organizers included Hindus for Peace and the Indian American Muslim Council, which accused the rally’s leader, Mohan Bhagwaat, of “violence against religious minorities.” Organizers supported Lander’s participation in the rally.
Protesters at the anti-RSS rally, held outside Madison Square Garden, berated Lander, with one shouting, “Fuck you ballsack Zionist,” according to footage posted by FreedomNews TV.
“He’s another paid Zionist,” the man screamed. “You little Zionist bitch.”
Another group of protesters wearing keffiyehs shouted at Lander to leave, chanting, “We don’t want no Zionists here” and beating drums while Lander tried to speak.
Other protesters backed Lander, sparking a shouting match between the two sides.
“No Zionists. Self-described Zionist. Brad Lander supports a two-state solution,” one protester said. “This guy supports Israel.”
“Liberal Zionists are Zionists. You support genocide” a man shouted . “There’s no such thing as a good Zionist. Only good Zionist is a dead Zionist.”
Some commentators have supported Lander, while others viewed the harassment as deserved due to Lander’s support for far-left anti-Israel politics.
Rabbi Yaacov Behrman, a community leader in the Crown Heights Hasidic community, said, “I’m disgusted by the way antisemitic protesters attacked [Lander], and disappointed that some people on social media seem to be enjoying it.”
The pro-Israel activist group Brooklyn Bridgebuilders accused Lander of defeating his primary opponent, US Rep. Dan Goldman, “by getting in bed with antisemitic, antizionist activists.”
“Now those same activists are turning on Brad,” the group said.
Lander’s harsh criticism of Israel was one of the main factors that differentiated his campaign from Goldman’s during their primary contest.
Lander responded in a Monday video statement, decrying the protesters as “a few loudmouths.”
I want to address what happened over the weekend outside Madison Square Garden.
A few loud numbskulls must not deter us from building multi-faith, multi-racial coalitions for justice. pic.twitter.com/i7uLuZQT5n
— Brad Lander (@bradlander) August 31, 2026
“I won’t stop joining rallies against hate in India, in Israel and Palestine, in New York City, because of a couple of loud numbskulls,” he said. “I was proud to attend as a Jewish New Yorker and I protest when I believe people are perverting Judaism to justify ethnic cleansing and I feel solidarity for Muslims who are doing the same,” he said.
His statement also accused Israel of “genocide” and “apartheid.”
Lander acknowledged taking fire from the left for his “Zionism,” and from the right and center for his anti-Israel rhetoric.
“Those conversations aren’t always easy but I try to take them seriously, to listen in good faith and to build coalitions,” Lander said. “No one’s going to tell me where I can stand or what positions I can take.”
The incident targeting Lander was similar to vitriol directed at California politician Scott Wiener, another Jewish leftist who has accused Israel of genocide, but has been hounded by anti-Zionists.
In June, protesters accosted Wiener at a transgender event , accusing him of “genocide” and demanding he leave, despite his longstanding support for the transgender community.
Anti-Zionist activists have also ostracized and harassed more centrist Jewish politicians, including Goldman .
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