Politics
Congressional nominee Brad Lander heckled over Israel stance at New York protest
The progressive New York Democrat was confronted at a rally outside Madison Square Garden targeting a Hindu nationalist movement.
The short version
- New York Democratic congressional nominee Brad Lander was verbally harassed by some demonstrators while attending a protest outside Madison Square Garden on Saturday.
- Lander, a self-described liberal Zionist and critic of the Israeli government, was targeted by protesters shouting anti-Zionist slogans.
- Several progressive Hindu and Muslim advocacy groups defended Lander, apologized for his treatment, and emphasized his role as an ally.
- Lander stated he was undeterred by the heckling and would continue to participate in rallies against hate.
Key facts
- Democratic congressional nominee Brad Lander was yelled at and told to leave a protest outside Madison Square Garden on Saturday.[The Guardian]
- Lander was participating in a demonstration against an event hosted by the Hindu nationalist RSS movement featuring speaker Mohan Bhagwat.[The Guardian]
- Some protesters shouted slogans at Lander condemning his self-described liberal Zionist stance, while other attendees thanked Lander for his solidarity.[The Guardian]
- Lander, who is Jewish, has criticized Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, supported restricting U.S. military aid to Israel, and characterized Israel's military campaign in Gaza as genocide.[The Guardian]
- The Indian American Muslim Council and Hindus for Human Rights issued statements apologizing to Lander and clarifying that the individuals responsible did not speak for their coalition.[The Guardian]
Sources
- Congressional nominee Brad Lander heckled over Israel stance at New York protestThe Guardian - World