Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander on Monday addressed the “loud numbskulls” who heckled him for supporting Israel during a protest in New York City over the weekend.
Lander, who is Jewish, attended a rally Saturday outside Madison Square Garden protesting the Hindu nationalist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its leader, Mohan Bhagwat, who was speaking at the venue. During the protest, Lander was approached by individuals calling him a Zionist and yelling profanities.
“I want to address what happened over the weekend outside Madison Square Garden, where a few loudmouths heckled me,” Lander said in a video posted to social media. “To be clear, I’m just fine, and I’m glad I attended.”
Lander explained in the almost three-minute video that he was protesting the RSS, which he claims “promotes violence and discrimination against Muslims.” He said that he was attending the event as a Jewish person, and he will protest any cause that he thinks promotes violence.
Lander explained that he is no stranger to criticism, particularly concerning his support for Israel. He has previously called himself a “liberal Zionist,” as he supports Israel as a Jewish state, but opposes the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.
“As someone who objects vehemently to what Israel is doing to Palestinians in Gaza, which I do believe meets the definition of genocide, and in the West Bank and in Lebanon,” Lander said, “I get criticized frequently by centrist and right-wing Jews. And as someone who nonetheless believes in the vision and the possibility of a Jewish and democratic Israel alongside a free Palestine, once decades of occupation and apartheid end, I get criticized frequently by left-wingers who oppose Zionism.”
He explained that although conversations about diverging opinions can be difficult, he is committed to taking them seriously.
“Of course, it’s not great when a couple of fringe a**holes with drums and bullhorns take over a rally and try to bully people,” Lander said. “So, I calmly stood my ground, and I remained at the protest against the RSS. No one’s going to tell me where I can stand or what positions I can take.”
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“I do think it’s important to be clear that the actions of a few deranged individuals were not reflective of the event organizers, several of whom have condemned their actions,” he added.
Lander is one of several candidates backed by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani who ousted an incumbent Democrat in the state’s primary elections. Mamdani, a socialist, has been an outspoken critic of Israel and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he’s called a “war criminal.” A progressive Democrat, Lander has also been critical of the Israeli government, but has been steadfast in supporting a safe, Jewish home.