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Mayor Mamdani attends Oct. 7 vigil amid protests in Union Square
Gothamist • • nation
Key Points:
- Union Square was heavily policed Wednesday night as demonstrators gathered for a vigil commemorating the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, with Mayor Zohran Mamdani attending amid protests and mixed reactions.
- Protesters waved both Israeli and Palestinian flags, and some disrupted speakers at the vigil, with Mamdani remaining silent throughout and not addressing the crowd directly.
- The conflict has deeply divided New York City, home to the largest Jewish population outside Israel, with Mamdani facing criticism for his support of Palestinians and comments condemning Israeli military actions.
- The Anti-Defamation League condemned Mamdani for politicizing the anniversary and criticized his administration’s hate crime plan for not formally defining antisemitism amid rising antisemitic incidents.
- Public officials including former Comptroller Brad Lander and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams joined the vigil, acknowledging the community’s pain amid ongoing tensions related to the Israel-Gaza conflict.
