On February 9th, Brian Romero posted a minute-long video on Instagram introducing his campaign to represent Northwest Queens in the New York State Assembly. In the video, he discussed his support for building more affordable housing and creating universal childcare. He also mentions that “Your tax dollars should be used to provide for working families, not the occupation of Gaza.” When I first saw this, I was taken aback: what does the New York State Assembly have to do with Gaza?

Romero’s campaign is part of a larger movement to demonize Jews and the State of Israel in local New York City politics. 

Christian Celeste Tate is running for assembly to represent Bushwick, Brooklyn. On his website, he mentions several issues which he is focused on, including “Environmental Justice,” “Universal Childcare,” and “Stand with Palestine.” Like Brian Romero, he believes that the war in Israel is not an international issue, but rather a local one. Celeste Tate stated on his website that, “The ongoing genocide and occupation in Palestine is a local issue here in Bushwick and East New York. Our community understands that the oppression, violence, and displacement we are fighting against here at home are part of the same power imbalance we are witnessing across the world.” His statement is absurd. There is no genocide (or a Palestine), and the issues in Bushwick are not interlinked with Israel or Jews. 

On his website, Celeste Tate also explains how he will “Stand with Palestine”:

“We will pass the Not on Our Dime Act to prevent New York nonprofits from funding illegal Israeli settlements and human rights abuses, we will stand with New Yorkers exercising their right to protest, we will end training collaborations between the NYPD and Israeli Occupation Force, [sic] and we will support workers taking a stand against the use of New York infrastructure to export genocidal weapons.”

Celeste Tate is explicitly stating the antisemitic agenda of extremist groups in New York to attempt to destroy the Jewish State. Let’s break down what he is saying, and what these groups want to do:

The Not on Our Dime Act – This is a bill in Albany that would criminalize donations to many Jewish nonprofits on the basis of “human rights abuses.” When it was introduced to the state assembly in 2023, 66 Democrats in the state legislature immediately condemned it, calling it “a ploy to demonize Jewish charities with connections to Israel.”

Stand with New Yorkers exercising their right to protest – After an antisemitic protest took place outside Park East Synagogue last year, the New York City Council passed a bill to define interference, intimidation, and physical obstruction for protests outside of houses of worship, and give guidelines for the NYPD when determining buffer zones. This legislation is similar to New York state laws regarding protests outside of abortion clinics. While the majority of the council on both sides of the aisle supported this legislation, five extremist council members opposed these seemingly straightforward bills, arguing that it would impair people’s right to protest. When Celeste Tate says “Stand with New Yorkers exercising their right to protest,” he is showing that he is aligned with the extremist minority who support protesting outside of synagogues. Would he say the same thing if it were about protests outside abortion clinics instead of synagogues? I think not.

End training collaborations between the NYPD and Israeli Occupation Force [sic] – Training collaborations between the Israeli Defense Forces and the New York Police Department have been organized by The Jewish Institute for the National Security of America since after 9/11. Because of Israel’s advances in counterterrorism, these collaborations are valuable for the NYPD, and they make New Yorkers safer. Ending these collaborations would make New Yorkers more vulnerable to terrorism.

Support workers taking a stand against the use of New York infrastructure to export genocidal weapons – On February 24th, State Senator Jabari Brisport celebrated the eviction of an Israeli drone company, Easy Aerial, from the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The company’s drones had been sold to the American Army, ICE, and the Israeli Army. “I am thrilled that Easy Aerial will not be permitted to renew its lease at the Brooklyn Navy Yard,” Senator Brisport said in a statement. “It is unacceptable for a city-chartered, publicly owned space to be complicit in supplying military equipment to the Israeli occupation force [sic].” This is an example of “taking a stand against the use of New York infrastructure to export genocidal weapons.” Celeste Tate is saying that he supports efforts like this to discriminate against Israeli-linked companies.

Across New York City, Jewish rights are being minimized by extremist candidates and elected officials. Lindsey Boylan, a City Council candidate, stood outside City Hall as they voted on the bill to protect houses of worship. She pledged that if she were in the Council, she would oppose the bill. Eli Northrup, another extremist Assembly candidate, claims on his website that he wants to “reject the cynical politics of division and fear.” But, in reality, he has openly stated that he supports the Not on Our Dime bill, which would make it illegal to donate to Israeli non-profits.

It is not okay to protest right outside of a synagogue. It is not okay to criminalize Jewish nonprofits. It is not okay to call for divestment from Israeli-linked companies. It is not okay to discriminate against the Jewish State. It is antisemitic. Local government is supposed to be about local issues such as schools, housing, and transportation – not international affairs. “Palestine” is not a local issue, and it is definitely not interlinked with Black displacement in Bushwick.

It is time for our elected officials to stand up against these extremists and call out their antisemitism. It is 2026 – everyone must have the moral clarity to speak out against this hate. And, as concerned citizens, we must pay attention to local candidates running for office, speak up, and keep local politics focused on local issues.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)