'No Place In Our City': Zohran Mamdani Calls Hamas 'Terrorist Organisation' Amid New York Protests

Last Updated:January 10, 2026, 18:09 IST

Mamdani's remarks came as pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protesters clashed outside a synagogue in New York, where pro-Hamas chants were heard.

Zohran Mamdani has faced flak for his criticism of Israel and pro-Palestinian activism. (Reuters File)

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called Hamas a “terrorist organisation" as he condemned pro-Hamas chants during a protest by the Palestinian Assembly For Liberation (PAL-Awda) outside a synagogue in Queens on Thursday night.

Asked by reporters on Friday to respond to the protest, which included chants of “Say it loud, say it clear, we support Hamas here," Mamdani said in a statement, “the rhetoric and displays that we saw" at the demonstration “are wrong and have no place in our city," according to the New York Times.

“My team is in close touch with the NYPD regarding last night’s protest and counterprotest," he added in his statement. “We will continue to ensure New Yorkers’ safety entering and exiting houses of worship as well as the constitutional right to protest."

Later in the day, when he was criticised for not denouncing Hamas specifically, Mamdani said on X, “Chants in support of a terrorist organization have no place in our city. We will continue to ensure New Yorkers’ safety entering and exiting houses of worship as well as the constitutional right to protest."

The demonstration on Thursday was held in Kew Gardens Hills, a neighbourhood that is home to a sizable population of Orthodox Jews, outside an event promoting American real estate investment in Jerusalem. That event took place outside a Manhattan synagogue holding an event that promoted American immigration to Israel and the occupied West Bank.

The protest grew increasingly heated as pro-Palestinian demonstrators chanted in support of Hamas while pro-Israel demonstrators shouted racial and homophobic slurs. Video footage of the pro-Hamas chant spread quickly on social media after it was posted by an Israeli journalist. It drew widespread criticism from elected officials in New York, including Mamdani, who has been previously critical of Israeli actions in Gaza.

Several other elected officials also criticised the pro-Hamas chant, including New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who said, “Hamas is a terrorist organisation 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."

Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also said, “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. Pretty basic!"

Meanwhile, pro-Israel protesters chanted “death to Palestine," “we love ICE" and expletive-laced slogans about Mamdani. They also threatened to rape or kill individual people in and around the crowd of protesters, including a journalist, and waved flags in support of President Trump, according to NYT.

Notably, Mamdani has struggled to earn the trust of segments of the Jewish community because of his criticism of Israel and his history of pro-Palestinian activism. However, he also won the votes of several Jews who said they inspired by his campaign.

News world 'No Place In Our City': Zohran Mamdani Calls Hamas 'Terrorist Organisation' Amid New York Protests

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