Democratic nominee Brad Lander insulted at New York protest
Brad Lander, the Democratic Party nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives, was insulted during a protest in New York and told to leave the rally because of his position on Israel. The demonstration took place near Madison Square Garden against an event held by the Hindu nationalist movement Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, where its leader Mohan Bhagwat spoke, The Guardian reports.
Dispute at the demonstration
According to the publication, videos circulating online show several protesters demanding that Lander leave and calling him a Zionist. At the same time, other participants thanked the politician for attending and supported him.
Lander remained at the demonstration, to which he had been invited. In a statement to CNN the following day, he said the event was dedicated to opposing the persecution of religious minorities and also stated that he would continue attending rallies against hatred in India, Israel and Palestine, as well as in New York.
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Position on Israel
Lander, who is Jewish and previously served as New York City comptroller, calls himself a liberal Zionist. He supports the vision of Israel as a safe home for Jews, but believes the country cannot be a full democracy as long as it occupies Palestinian territories and deprives Palestinians of rights and freedoms.
The politician condemns, in The Guardian's wording, Israel's ongoing occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, supported restrictions on U.S. military aid to Israel, and considers Israel's military campaign in Gaza following Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack to be genocide. Lander is a progressive candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York's 10th congressional district.
The Indian American Muslim Council said that the people who insulted Lander represented neither it nor the coalition of protesters, and apologized to the politician. The organization Hindus for Human Rights also defended him, calling Lander a longtime ally.
