New York Governor Kathy Hochul has joined Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in strongly condemning chants of support for Hamas at a recent protest in Queens, New York. The chants, which featured demonstrators waving Palestinian flags, have been described as "disgusting" and "antisemitic" by both women.
Video footage from the protest, which was widely shared on social media, shows protesters chanting slogans in support of Hamas, an organization designated as a terrorist group by the US government. Hochul, who posted her own message condemning the chants on X, called it "disgusting, it's dangerous, and has no place in New York."
Ocasio-Cortez, whose own comments were quickly seized upon by critics, appeared to have taken issue with the location of the protest - a predominantly Jewish neighborhood in Queens. She warned that marching into such an area and leading with chants supporting Hamas is "a disgusting and antisemitic thing to do" and "pretty basic."
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has also weighed in, urging public safety while defending the constitutional right to protest. He stated, "As I said earlier today, chants in support of a terrorist organization have no place in our city," adding that his administration will continue to ensure New Yorkers' safety entering and exiting houses of worship as well as exercising their right to peaceful assembly.
The incident comes amid ongoing tensions nationwide over protests related to the Israel-Hamas conflict following the October 7 attacks.
Video footage from the protest, which was widely shared on social media, shows protesters chanting slogans in support of Hamas, an organization designated as a terrorist group by the US government. Hochul, who posted her own message condemning the chants on X, called it "disgusting, it's dangerous, and has no place in New York."
Ocasio-Cortez, whose own comments were quickly seized upon by critics, appeared to have taken issue with the location of the protest - a predominantly Jewish neighborhood in Queens. She warned that marching into such an area and leading with chants supporting Hamas is "a disgusting and antisemitic thing to do" and "pretty basic."
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has also weighed in, urging public safety while defending the constitutional right to protest. He stated, "As I said earlier today, chants in support of a terrorist organization have no place in our city," adding that his administration will continue to ensure New Yorkers' safety entering and exiting houses of worship as well as exercising their right to peaceful assembly.
The incident comes amid ongoing tensions nationwide over protests related to the Israel-Hamas conflict following the October 7 attacks.
and it got me thinking, have you ever noticed how some of those dances kinda resemble the way our brains work? Like, when we're all hyped up from a challenge, our brain goes into overdrive, releasing all sorts of dopamine and whatnot. It's like our brain is performing this intricate dance all on its own! 
Anyway, that got me thinking about how protests and chants can be kinda like those dance challenges too... I mean, when we're passionate about something, we want to express it, and sometimes that expression can get a little out of hand. Maybe we should just take a step back, put on our dancing shoes (or not), and remember that everyone's got their own story to tell 
It's like everyone's trying to out-antisemitic each other... I'm not saying they're not serious about their causes, but can't we all just get along and have a peaceful protest without waving flags and chanting stuff that makes people uncomfortable? Like, come on, folks! 
You're protesting for what you believe in, great, but do it with some class, you know? 
And NYC's got this whole 'city that never sleeps' vibe going on, can't we just have a little peace and quiet while the Yankees are playing? 
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I'm so sick of this kinda stuff, you know? Like, people have a right to protest and express themselves, but when it's about hate groups like Hamas... no way. And Ocasio-Cortez was right to speak out against it, even if some people are gonna jump on her for it. It's not about where the protest is held, it's about the message they're sending out. I mean, can you imagine if it were a Black Lives Matter rally in a Jewish neighborhood? The media would be all over that. Let's just focus on being respectful and supporting our communities, you feel? 
I think what's really concerning here is that chants in support of Hamas can be seen from all sides, including from some who are trying to highlight the struggles of Palestine 
. The problem isn't just about where protests happen or who's leading them - it's about how we label and demonize entire groups of people 
. If we're going to condemn these chants as disgusting and antisemitic, we need to also understand why some people might be drawn to supporting Hamas in the first place 
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. I'm worried that we're not having enough nuanced conversations about what's really driving these conflicts and how we can find common ground 
. We need to listen more and talk less, especially when it comes to issues like this 
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. I mean, who's gonna wave a flag for a group considered terrorist by the US government? 
And AOC's response just feels like she's trying to take control of the narrative instead of calling out the real issue - the chants themselves. What's next, is everyone gonna be lecturing each other on "safety" while ignoring the fact that they're supporting a group with a serious human rights record? 
, especially when it's happening in an area with a lot of Jewish people who have been through some pretty traumatic history already 
. I'm glad Kathy Hochul and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are speaking out against this kind of hate speech 
. It's not okay to use protest as an excuse for intolerance or discrimination 
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. AOC thinks it's cool 2 take on the Jewish community in Queens, but really she's just playin' victim 
. Mamdani's just tryna stay outta it, but honestly how hard is it 2 say that chants of support 4 a terrorist org r bad? 
. It's also worth noting that Ocasio-Cortez is being kinda hypocritical for being in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood and suddenly realizing it's antisemitic 
. The real question here is: what's driving these protests, and can we have a more nuanced conversation about them? 
. I mean, you got the Governor, Ocasio-Cortez, and even the Mayor all speaking out against it and it's hard to see why some people can't get on board with that 
. I'm all for exercising your right to protest, but come on, folks! Be reasonable 
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. And Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is right 
, marching into a predominantly Jewish neighborhood with such chants is just basic antisemitic behavior 
we need to call this out for what it is - not some brave statement of solidarity, but rather a hurtful display of ignorance 
and this isn't it 
New York City needs to take a stand against this kind of toxic behavior and make sure our protests are about unity and love, not hate and division 
. And can we talk about how NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani is on point with his stance? 
Public safety is everything and we gotta protect our communities from hate speech & violence 
. I'm all for free speech, but not at the expense of human rights & dignity 
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. It's not about freedom of speech, it's about respecting people's identities and experiences 
. And btw, can't we just have some constructive conversation instead of resorting to hate chants? 