NYC Mayor Mamdani is branded a 'traitor' by pro-Palestinian protesters at October 7 vigil before dining at anti-Israel restaurant

From the Newshound archive · first published 8 October 2026 · last updated 9 October 2026.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stood ashen-faced at a Union Square candlelight vigil as pro-Palestinian activists chanted 'traitor' and 'coward' at him for attending a memorial that also commemorated Israeli victims of the October 7 Hamas attack. Mamdani's written statement for the anniversary briefly acknowledged the 'unthinkable loss' of roughly 1,200 Israelis killed three years ago before pivoting to accuse Israel of 'genocide' in Gaza — outraging Jewish groups and Democratic congressman Dan Goldman. The mayor later dined at Ayat Hinds Hall, a Palestinian restaurant whose sister location faced fierce criticism in 2023 over a menu section headed 'From the River to the Sea'.

Mamdani doubled down the next day, telling reporters: 'I believe there must be room to mourn every single life' — the Israeli victims and the 74,000 Palestinians he claims have since been killed.

Senior Democrats Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries both refused to comment on the row, leaving Goldman as the only prominent New York Democrat to publicly condemn Mamdani's statement.

Socialist streamer Hasan Piker backed the hecklers, groaning 'Oh, that's disastrous' after realising the vigil was partly Israeli-organised — prompting critics to delight that the left was 'eating itself'.