Politicians are like chameleons. They change their opinions to suit the political atmosphere.
Now Democrats were caught in utter hypocrisy and their goose is cooked.
The Protest That Sparked Outrage
Last week, a group called the Palestinian Assembly for Liberation held a demonstration right across from the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills synagogue in Queens. They were there to push back against an event promoting Israeli real estate.
Things took a sharp turn when video footage captured protesters waving Palestinian flags and chanting, “We support Hamas here.”
The clip didn’t take long to blow up on social media, drawing a lot of eyes and stirring up reactions from all sides.
Sudden Wave of Condemnations from Democrats
In the wake of the video going viral, several prominent New York Democrats stepped up to denounce the chants.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, for one, labeled them as out of line for the city—though it’s worth noting he’d sidestepped condemning Hamas outright in an interview just a few months back, shifting the talk to local issues like housing costs instead.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who’d spoken at Mamdani’s inauguration not long ago, took to X to say that “marching into a predominantly Jewish neighborhood and leading with a chant saying ‘we support Hamas’ is a disgusting and antisemitic thing to do.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer didn’t hold back, calling Hamas “a terrorist organization committed to the destruction of Jews” and declaring that voicing support for them “is antisemitic and unacceptable.”
Governor Kathy Hochul echoed that sentiment on X, stating, “Hamas is a terrorist organization that calls for the genocide of Jews. No matter your political beliefs, this type of rhetoric is disgusting, it’s dangerous, and it has no place in New York.” Attorney General Letitia James kept it straightforward: “Hamas is a terrorist organization. We do not support terrorists. Period.”
Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Jacky Rosen, plus Representative Laura Gillen, all chimed in with similar rebukes.
Timing Raises Eyebrows Amid Political Shifts
Not all feedback was positive toward these statements.
Just days before the protest, Mamdani had rolled back some executive orders aimed at supporting Israel, including one that limited protests near places of worship.
And conservative voice Jaimee Michell pointed out on X what some see as a convenient pivot: “How to tell it’s an election year: Democrats condemn Hamas The talking points went out and they’re so transparent. You don’t get to do that now after inciting and encouraging antisemitism for the past 2 years. Those are YOUR people. You ARE Hamas.” It’s hard not to wonder if the approaching elections are playing a role in this abrupt chorus of criticism, especially after periods of more muted responses.
