Lander stays at anti-RSS rally after heckling, says he won't stop joining rallies against hate

IAMC apologizes for heckling; Hindus for Human Rights defends Lander

Brad Lander, the Democratic nominee for New York’s 10th congressional district, told CNN on Sunday evening that he would not stop joining rallies against hate “because of a couple of loud numbskulls,” after protesters shouted abuse at him over his stance on Israel during a Saturday demonstration outside Madison Square Garden. “Yesterday’s event was dedicated to standing up against the persecution of religious minorities. I was honored to be invited and glad to participate,” Lander said.

Hindu and Muslim groups that had invited Lander to the demonstration defended him on Sunday. The Indian American Muslim Council posted on X that “the individuals responsible were not part of IAMC or our coalition and did not speak for us,” adding: “Our fight … requires building strong coalitions, respecting differences, and working together wherever we share common ground. Insulting or silencing allies undermines that work and is unacceptable. We offer Brad Lander our sincere apologies for the treatment he received.”

Hindus for Human Rights posted: “Brad Lander is a Jewish leader who has vocally disavowed the genocide in Palestine and is a rare progressive voice against the RSS. Multiple organizations invited Brad to the protest as a longtime ally who understands the majority’s role in combating hate in their communities.”

The heckling came as Lander attended a protest against an event organized by the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh movement, where RSS leader Mohan Bhagwat was speaking. In videos circulating online, one man shouted at Lander: “We don’t want no Zionists here. Get the fuck out!” Another protester added: “You say you’re a liberal but we know how you act.” A third yelled: “You’re a Zionist, we don’t need you. We don’t need your help!” The Guardian reported one masked protester called him a “Zionist ball sack.”

Lander remained at the rally, responding “Bring it on” when a masked protester shouted at him. Other demonstrators welcomed Lander at the scene — one man shook his hand and said: “Thank you for coming, thank you for standing in solidarity with us.”

Lander, who is Jewish, describes himself as a liberal Zionist — stating that he believes in the vision of Israel as a safe, Jewish home, but argues it cannot be a true democracy while it continues to occupy Palestinian land and deny Palestinians their human rights and freedom. He has condemned Israel’s continued occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, supported restrictions on U.S. military aid to Israel, and believes that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks amounts to genocide.

A former New York City comptroller and ally of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Lander defeated Rep. Dan Goldman, a fellow Jew and prominent supporter of Israel, in the June Democratic primary for the 10th district seat. His critical approach to Israel was a key factor in that victory.

In a video shared on Substack, liberal commentator Peter Beinart argued that the people harassing Lander “are rude, obnoxious, self-righteous, they’re really kind of acting like assholes. But they’re not saying anything antisemitic.” Highlighting that the protesters took issue with Lander’s self-declared Zionism rather than his Jewishness, Beinart added: “The term antisemite should be reserved for clear cases in which people have an animus towards Jews as Jews.”

The Guardian reported the confrontations are telling of broader tensions within the United States over Israel. Public opinion has shifted against the country over its actions in Gaza, while a wave of progressive candidates have swept to victory amid pro-Palestinian sentiment and criticism of Israel. Some commentary on social media had suggested that people hurled abuse at Lander because he is Jewish, a reading Beinart rejected.