'No place in New York': Hochul, AOC, and Mamdani condemn ‘we support Hamas’ chants at Queens protest

QUEENS, NEW YORK: New York Gov Kathy Hochul, Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned chants of “we support Hamas” after demonstrators were filmed shouting the slogan during a protest in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood in Queens on Thursday, January 8.

Video from the protest shows demonstrators waving Palestinian flags while chanting support for Hamas, which the US government designates as a te**orist organization. The footage circulated widely on social media and prompted swift condemnation.

The protest occurred outside a Manhattan synagogue hosting an event encouraging Americans to immigrate to Israel and the occupied West Bank.

Democrats condemn pro-Hamas chants in unison

Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez sharply criticized both the rhetoric used by demonstrators and the choice of location for the protest.

“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,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Pretty basic!”

Gov Hochul also shared a video of the chants on social media and wrote, “Hamas is a te**orist organization that calls for the genocide of Jews.”

“No matter your political beliefs, this type of rhetoric is disgusting, it’s dangerous, and it has no place in New York,” she added. 

Mayor Mamdani addressed the incident later in the day, condemning the chants while emphasizing public safety and constitutional protections.

“As I said earlier today, chants in support of a te**orist organization have no place in our city,” the 34-year-old wrote. “We will continue to ensure New Yorkers’ safety entering and exiting houses of worship as well as the constitutional right to protest.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James also condemned the chants in a brief social media post.

She wrote, “Hamas is a te**orist organization. We do not support te**orists. Period.”

Zohran Mamdani's past remarks under scrutiny

Mamdani’s statement comes amid renewed scrutiny over his past comments on Hamas.

In an October interview on Fox News’ 'The Story with Martha MacCallum', Mamdani declined to condemn Hamas, instead pivoting to a discussion about affordability and cost-of-living issues facing New Yorkers. 

The incident comes as tensions remain elevated nationwide amid protests tied to the Israel-Hamas conflict following the October 7, 2023, attacks.