Demonstrators and community activists gathered outside the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) headquarters in downtown Manhattan for a rally organized by the EndJewHatred movement and the Lawfare Project on Tuesday.
The rally, titled “Unite Against Terror,” took place at the corner of Essex Street and Straus Square near the DSA offices. The gathering was held three days before the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, focusing community opposition against the DSA and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
New York City experiences a marked rise in antisemitic incidents
The rally unfolded against the backdrop of a marked rise in anti-Jewish incidents in the city, with recent New York Police Department data showing that hate crimes targeting the Jewish community continue to drive local offense statistics.
Critics and community leaders have increasingly blamed Mamdani for fueling these tensions, pointing to his rhetoric regarding Israel.
Protesters stood with victims and families of 9/11 and directed a message to city leadership that terror has no place on local streets, while speakers addressed the growing crowd.
Cheri Sparacio and Mike Weinstein, relatives of people killed on September 11, 2001, took the stage to voice sharp opposition to Mamdani’s planned appearance at the upcoming 25th-anniversary ceremony.
Sparacio said to the crowd, “How can this man be at my husband’s memorial? How can I stand there with him at my husband’s memorial?”
Weinstein echoed those sentiments, highlighting his deep multi-generational roots in New York and saying, “Make no mistake about it, all [those who] died and their families were impacted by the attacks by al-Qaeda, violent Sunni Islamic terrorists, and jihadists.” Weinstein further criticized city leadership: “Some of the leadership of the DSA are aligned with terrorist ideology,” adding that attacks on Jews and New York had risen substantially since the mayor took office.
Ori Solow, cofounder of the political campaign and advocacy network, Stop Mamdani, addressed the crowd during the evening event, saying, “New York will never surrender to radical extremism.” Fellow co-founder Ezra Greenspan similarly said, “New York will not stand by quietly.”
Renee Collymore, head of the Black Jewish Coalition in Brooklyn, spoke at the rally, urging solidarity and action. She said, “Do not let them scare you,” emphasizing, “We must put our support together, the Jews and the Black folks; we got to work together. This is the only way we’re going to stop the DSA.”
President of the American Muslim & Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council Anila Ali also spoke at the event, addressing the crowd about ideological threats: “Understanding the radical ideology that Mayor Mamdani believes in... it’s the same ideology that attacked America on 9/11; 3,000 of our innocent people were murdered by the Al-Qaeda ideology.”
Ali further warned, “that ideology has seeped into all our institutions, the Democratic Party, the DSA, the universities, the colleges, and also our schools.”
NYC activist Jacqueline Toboroff took the stage to criticize local political organizing, saying, “DSA runs close to 100 events in New York City per month. What the hell are the Republicans doing about this?”
Toboroff further condemned campus activism: “They used our school campuses from CUNY, NYU, and Columbia as campaign headquarters, get-out-the-vote operations, recruitment centers. And if you’re wondering why these campuses in America resemble Hamas outposts, it’s because DSA is there.”
She added, “This is how Zohran Mamdani secured the June primary. He was installed by who? By the people that DSA activated on those campuses.”
Activist and speaker Shabbos Kestenbaum addressed the crowd, pointing out the ideological alignments of local officials and condemning terrorism. He said, “Don’t take it from me, just listen to their own words; they’re individuals like Zohran Mamdani, who praise, who praise the Holy Land Five, a convicted terror front, who were convicted in a federal court for providing millions of dollars to terrorist organizations.”
Kestenbaum further suggested, “If you don’t like America, one of the great things about our country is we are blessed with a multitude of airports. You should visit one of them and leave.”
Rally participants held American flags and placards that featured messages such as “USA Not DSA,” “Unite Against Extremism,” “Remove Mamdani,” and “Stop Zohran Mamdani.”
Throughout the demonstration, the crowd joined in loud chants, repeatedly shouting slogans like “Stay away, Mamdani!” Activist and singer Ghazal Mizrahi sang the American national anthem.
Jayne Zirkle, director of communications for EndJewHatred said in a statement to The Jerusalem Post, “Last night, EndJewHatred presented a rally to remember the lives lost on 9/11, but remembering alone is not enough. We must also confront the ideas and movements that contribute to extremism.
“The rally specifically raised awareness about the Democratic Socialists of America and what we believe are fundamental differences between aspects of its platform and the principles that have long shaped the American way of life, including our constitution, individual freedom, and the rule of law.
“This was a call to recognize the warning signs, reject extremism, and protect our communities from forces that can threaten the fabric of our country from within. EndJewHatred brought together an interfaith coalition of Christians, Jews, and Muslims who stood together to remember 9/11 and affirm that Americans of different faiths can unite in defense of a free society,” Zirkle said.
The DSA did not respond to the Post’s request for comment by the time of publishing.