Pro-Hamas Chants Rock Queens Synagogue

A man speaking at a public demonstration with supporters holding signs

New York City’s new mayor is facing a basic credibility test after “We support Hamas” chants erupted outside a Queens synagogue and his condemnation came late and carefully worded.

Story Snapshot

A pro-Palestinian protest outside a synagogue in Kew Gardens Hills, Queens, featured chants explicitly supporting Hamas, escalating earlier anti-Israel demonstrations.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani initially issued a short condemnation that was not posted on social media, then later tweeted a stronger message using “terrorist organization” language for the first time.
Critics argue the delay matters because Mamdani has a documented history of support for BDS and has made early personnel and policy moves tied to Israel-related controversies.
Reports also spotlight city appointments and event appearances involving activists with past rhetoric that Jewish leaders and watchdogs view as alarming amid rising antisemitic incidents.

Queens synagogue protest puts Mamdani’s leadership under a spotlight

PAL-Awda organized a protest outside Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills in Queens, a heavily Jewish neighborhood, during a real estate-related event tied to Maale Adumim in the West Bank. Demonstrators displayed messaging including “stop the sale of stolen Palestinian land,” but the flashpoint became chants reported as “We support Hamas here.” The public nature of the setting—a synagogue—made the incident immediately sensitive in a city with recurring tensions around worship sites.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s response unfolded in stages. Reports describe an initial, clipped statement calling the rhetoric “wrong” and saying it had “no place in our city,” but that message was not initially posted on his social media. Later the same day, Mamdani tweeted a stronger condemnation: “Chants in support of a terrorist organization have no place in our city,” marking the first time he used “terrorist” language in this context, even without naming Hamas directly.

Timeline contrasts with quicker denunciations from other Democrats

Accounts of the incident emphasize how fast the story moved compared with the mayor’s public posture. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive ally in national politics, denounced the scene sooner and described it as antisemitic. Gov. Kathy Hochul also condemned the chants. That contrast—other prominent Democrats moving quickly while the mayor calibrated—became a political problem on its own, because it framed Mamdani as reactive rather than protective when a Jewish neighborhood was targeted.

Criticism from pro-Israel activists focused less on whether Mamdani eventually condemned the chants and more on whether his instincts and coalition politics shaped a hesitant response. Commentators cited in coverage argued the mayor’s relative silence fed suspicion that his administration is more comfortable policing “hate” in the abstract than confronting extremist rhetoric when it comes from ideological allies. Supporters and neutral observers also warned that delay, even if strategic, can become “bad politics” that distracts from governing.

Past BDS support and early executive actions fuel skepticism

Reporting links the current controversy to Mamdani’s established record as a critic of Israel and supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement while serving as a state lawmaker. Mamdani has described BDS as nonviolent pressure aimed at international law and equality, but opponents argue the movement often functions as political punishment rather than peacemaking. Early in his mayoralty, Mamdani also rescinded prior executive orders connected to defining antisemitism and restricting BDS by city employees.

That policy posture matters because the Queens protest was not just a generic street demonstration; it unfolded at a synagogue and featured rhetoric praising a group widely recognized as a terrorist organization. For New Yorkers who care about basic public order and equal protection, the constitutional right to protest does not require city leaders to be vague about pro-terror messaging. The public expects clear lines: worship sites are not fair game for intimidation, regardless of the cause.

Appointments and public events keep the controversy alive into March

Coverage in March described continued fallout tied to personnel and public-event decisions. One focus is Mamdani’s defense of Phylisa Wisdom, an antisemitism czar in the mayor’s office described as a “liberal Zionist,” yet criticized in reporting for past remarks about pro-Israel posts. Another report highlighted a Ramadan-related event where Mamdani was introduced by an activist identified as Akl, whose past statements reportedly included urging Hamas to strike Tel Aviv.

Several reports also point to staff social media controversies, including inflammatory posts attributed to political staffers and a deputy communications figure blamed for comments about hostages. The available reporting does not resolve every underlying claim, and some allegations depend on past posts and interpretations that readers should verify directly. Still, the pattern is clear in the documented timeline: protests, staffing, and messaging keep colliding, making it harder to reassure Jewish New Yorkers.