Fact Check: Did Alysa Liu share Zohran Mamdani's call to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu?
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Amid the debates and controversy surrounding New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s threat to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the city, a rumor is circulating on social media platforms claiming that figure skater Alysa Liu shared the mayor’s call to arrest the Israeli leader. But is the claim true? Let us fact-check.
Claim: Alysa Liu shared Zohran Mamdani’s call to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu
The claim circulated in the form of a screenshot indicating that Olympic figure skater reposted a video on her Instagram story of Mamdani calling on the federal government to arrest Netanyahu.
The claim spread across multiple platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, and X, garnering millions of views, and it drew mixed reactions from online users, with many condemning Liu for her alleged online activity, while others expressed support for her.
Meanwhile, a few others remained skeptical and asked for credible evidence that Liu had actually shared such a post.
Fact Check: The claim could not be verified
However, the claim that Liu posted the video on her Instagram story could not be determined, as an Instagram story lasts only for 24 hours and its archives are viewable only by the admin of the account. Hence, the claim is rated as unconfirmed.
But it has been confirmed that the popular sports figure’s official Instagram account, @alysaxliu, "liked" Mamdani's post, indicating she supported the mayor's message.
In the past, Liu allegedly published posts about the conflict in Gaza, including one that read, "There is more spilled blood than drinkable water in Gaza" and another that appeared to be taken at a protest.
Zohran Mamdani's ICC stance draws attention
The claim surfaced after Mamdani promised to arrest Netanyahu, in accordance with the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant, if he set foot in New York City.
In a video, he announced that his administration "reviewed every avenue available under applicable law to determine whether New York City could execute the International Criminal Court's arrest if Benjamin Netanyahu came here," and found they did not. He also called on the federal government to "join the ICC and execute this warrant."
As the US is not a member of the ICC, it is not obligated to uphold arrest warrants made by the court.
In February 2025, President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the ICC, claiming it engaged in "illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel."
In a post on Truth Social this month, Trump wrote, “Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America."
