Brad Lander, the former New York City comptroller and recently elected congressman, was subjected to antisemitic abuse during a rally outside Madison Square Garden on Saturday. The demonstration was reportedly organized to protest a Hindu nationalist event taking place at the venue.
Lander, who defeated incumbent Congressman Dan Goldman in a high-profile Democratic primary earlier this year, has been a vocal critic of Israel’s government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Both Lander and Goldman, who are progressive Jewish politicians, have expressed concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Last August, Goldman described the situation as shocking to the conscience and called on Israel and the United States to end what he termed a humanitarian catastrophe. Lander’s stance was more sharply critical; he labeled the conflict a “genocide” and campaigned for an end to all U.S. military aid to Israel.
The political dynamics in New York’s Democratic base shifted significantly with Lander’s victory, marking a break from more moderate voices like Goldman, who withheld or withheld active support during the recent mayoral races. Lander endorsed Zohran Mamdani in the 2025 mayoral primary, aligning himself with a more explicitly anti-Zionist wing of the party. His margin of victory over Goldman exceeded 30 percentage points, reflecting the changing political currents in the city.
At Saturday’s rally, some protesters reportedly directed hostile and antisemitic language toward Lander. Eyewitnesses described individuals shouting profanity-laden insults invoking antisemitic tropes, including calls for the removal of “Zionists” and other hateful slurs. One protester repeatedly told Lander to “get the f--- out,” while another said, “There’s no such thing as a good Zionist” and added, “The only good Zionist is a dead Zionist.”
Lander has previously grappled with distinguishing between anti-Zionism and antisemitism, acknowledging the complexity and sensitivity of the issue. In a recent interview, he expressed discomfort discussing the topic given the history of antisemitic stereotypes involving Jews, particularly regarding power and money.
Similar experiences have been reported by other Jewish American politicians critical of Israel, such as California Senator Scott Wiener, who also faced hostile crowds this summer. Observers note that politicians in this position often confront the challenge of addressing political opposition to Israel while exposing or enduring underlying antisemitism.
The events raise pressing questions about the boundaries between legitimate political dissent and hate speech, particularly as debates around Israel and Palestine continue to evoke strong emotions within and beyond the Jewish community.