Mamdani heckled at October 7 vigil in New York
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced angry chants of “traitor” from pro-Palestinian protesters as he attended an October 7 memorial vigil in Manhattan's Union Square on Wednesday.
Footage showed Mamdani standing among mourners holding candles and signs reading “Not one more life”, while protesters waved Palestinian flags and shouted accusations against him.
The vigil, organised by anti-occupation group Israelis for Peace, honoured Israelis killed in the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, and Palestinians killed during Israel's subsequent military offensive in Gaza.
Some attendees welcomed Mamdani's presence, thanking him for his statements and actions. Tensions later escalated as protesters shook barricades and clashed with vigil participants, prompting police to separate the groups.
The confrontation comes amid a dispute between Mamdani and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mamdani previously pledged to enforce an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Netanyahu but later acknowledged he lacked the legal authority to do so.
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Netanyahu accused Mamdani of antisemitism and supporting Hamas during his September address to the UN General Assembly. Mamdani rejected the accusations, maintaining that his criticism targets Israeli government policies rather than Jewish people.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. The United States rejects the court's jurisdiction in the case.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
