By Katherine Dautrich, CNN
(CNN) — Brad Lander, a Democratic congressional nominee in New York City, faced heckling Saturday over his stance on Israel as he protested a Hindu nationalist politician speaking at Madison Square Garden.
Lander, a critic of the Israeli government who identifies as a liberal Zionist, was welcomed by some protesting Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat’s Saturday remarks in New York City. But others demanded that he leave.
“We don’t want no Zionists here. Get the f**k out!” one man said in a video circulating online as he played a drum. “You say you’re a liberal but we know how you act.”
“This guy supports Israel,” another shouted at Lander. “No Zionists, no Zionists,” a third person said, holding a keffiyeh and pointing at Lander.
The issue of US support for Israel has inflamed Democratic primary races amid growing anti-Israel sentiment within the party base over the country’s military campaign in Gaza following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attacks. About 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 others taken hostage by Hamas. More than 70,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began.
Lander, a former New York City comptroller and ally of the city’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, bested incumbent Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman in a June primary race that broke along ideological lines around Israel. While both candidates are Jewish and identify as Zionists, Lander argued that Goldman should have gone further in his criticism of Israel.
He has referred to Israel’s offensive in Gaza as a genocide — a claim the Israeli government denies — and called to restrict US military aid to Israel. Lander also accused Goldman of being beholden to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, during the primary. But the progressive has also firmly defended Israel’s existence as a Jewish state and dropped his Democratic Socialists of America membership earlier this year after the organization promoted a controversial pro-Palestinian rally the day after the Hamas attacks.
Lander appeared undeterred by the heated exchanges during the Saturday protest, and several attendees pushed back against the heckling.
When one man wearing sunglasses and a face mask shouted that he was a “Zionist ball sack,” Lander responded, “Bring it on,” before going to shake the hand of another attendee who thanked him for being there.
“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 in a statement Sunday evening. “I won’t stop joining rallies against hate — in India, in Israel and Palestine, or in New York City — because of a couple of loud numbskulls.”
Hindu and Muslim groups condemned the heckling, noting that Lander had been invited to speak at the protest by multiple organizations.
“The individuals responsible were not part of IAMC or our coalition and did not speak for us,” the Indian American Muslim Council said on X. “We offer Brad Lander our sincere apologies for the treatment he received.”
“Brad Lander is a Jewish leader who has vocally disavowed the genocide in Palestine and is a rare progressive voice against the RSS,” Hindus for Human Rights said on X as it also denounced the disruptions to his remarks. “Multiple organizations invited Brad to the protest as a longtime ally who understands the majority’s role in combating hate in their communities.”
Hindus for Human Rights said representatives sought to deescalate the situation and noted that Lander remained at the protest and was able to speak with reporters.
The debate surrounding Israel has percolated beyond policy disagreements for several Democratic House candidates, spilling into vitriol.
During Lander’s heated primary, a Brooklyn coffee shop appeared to ban Goldman, who has also been critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to screenshots of a now-deleted social media post.
“Hey Congressman Dan Goldman, we see that you stopped by our shop today for a coffee,” the deleted post read. “Do you see how it doesn’t taste like genocide juice? Or are you still having a hard time telling the difference?”
In June, congressional candidate and California state Sen. Scott Weiner, a prominent gay and Jewish Democrat, was surrounded by protesters at San Francisco’s annual Trans March as they accused him of supporting genocide in Gaza.
The state legislator has said he supports Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state and its right to defend itself in the aftermath of the Hamas attacks. But he has also said he opposes US military aid to Israel until the government demonstrates a commitment to peace and has described the military campaign in Gaza as a genocide.
Weiner said in a statement at the time that he ultimately decided to leave the park after protesters repeatedly touched him, and he believed he and his staff could be in danger.
The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Gloria Pazmino and Nomaan Merchant contributed to this report.
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