New York Mayor-Elect Mamdani Condemns Antisemitic Vandalism at Brooklyn Jewish School

New York City houses the world's largest Jewish community outside of Israel.

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has strongly condemned an antisemitic incident at a Jewish school in Brooklyn, where vandals painted a red swastika just one day following his historic election victory. The Democrat expressed unity by describing the act as "disgusting and heartbreaking" and firmly stated that antisemitism has no place in New York City.

"This is a disgusting and heartbreaking act of antisemitism, and it has no place in our beautiful city. As Mayor, I will always stand steadfast with our Jewish neighbours to root the scourge of antisemitism out of our city," Mamdani posted on X in response to reports about the vandalism at the Jewish Day School.

New York City maintains its status as home to the world's largest Jewish population outside Israel.

According to NYPD reports, authorities received a 911 call after staff discovered hateful swastika symbols painted in red on the pillars and windows of Magen David Yeshiva located on McDonald Avenue near Avenue S in Gravesend on Wednesday. The perpetrator remains at large.

Mamdani, set to become New York's first Muslim mayor, frequently encountered Islamophobic remarks and anti-immigrant rhetoric during his campaign after criticizing Israel and sparking discussions about antisemitism. His primary opponent, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, secured approximately 60 percent of the Jewish vote according to AP Voter Poll data, while Mamdani gained support from roughly 3 in 10 Jewish voters.

Throughout his campaign, Mamdani remained consistent in criticizing Israel's military operations in Gaza, characterizing them as genocide against Palestinians. However, he welcomed Jewish supporters to his campaign, condemned the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, and rejected Cuomo's suggestions that he wasn't sufficiently opposed to antisemitism.

"We will build a City Hall that stands steadfast alongside Jewish New Yorkers and does not waver in the fight against the scourge of antisemitism," Mamdani declared during his victory celebration.

He reinforced this commitment during his first post-election news conference on Wednesday, highlighting his plan to increase funding for hate crime prevention. "I take the issue of antisemitism incredibly seriously," he emphasized.