NEW YORK — Brad Lander, a prominent leftist Jewish politician in New York City, on Monday downplayed an incident over the weekend in which he was berated as a “Zionist” at a protest opposing a right-wing Hindu group.

Lander is a longtime fixture in leftist politics in the city who won a Congressional primary earlier this year and is expected to win the general election to enter the House of Representatives.

He is a political partner of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Lander acted as Mamdani’s leading Jewish ally in Mamdani’s mayoral campaign, and Mamdani boosted Lander’s Congressional run.

Lander defines himself as a “liberal Zionist,” putting him at odds with parts of the anti-Zionist left in New York. Mamdani and his home base, the far-left Democratic Socialists of America, have endorsed anti-Zionism.

While he acknowledges Israel’s right to continued existence, Lander also accuses Israel of genocide, drawing the ire of many Jews, including Mamdani opponents, who believe Lander helped Mamdani win his mayoral election.

Those tensions spilled over when Lander attended a Saturday protest against a right-wing Hindu group, RSS, which was holding a rally at Madison Square Garden.

Protest organizers included Hindus for Peace and the Indian American Muslim Council, which accused the rally’s leader, Mohan Bhagwaat, of “violence against religious minorities.” Organizers supported Lander’s participation in the rally.

Protesters at the anti-RSS rally, held outside Madison Square Garden, berated Lander, with one shouting, “Fuck you ballsack Zionist,” according to footage posted by FreedomNews TV.

“He’s another paid Zionist,” the man........

© The Times of Israel