Hours after socialist mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s win, red swastikas appeared on the walls of Magen David Yeshiva in Brooklyn, sparking outrage and an antisemitism investigation. Parents arriving Wednesday morning found at least four Nazi symbols graffitied on the school building, according to Yeshiva World News. Staff quickly covered the hate symbols with an Israeli flag and paper while police launched a hate crime probe.
Magen David Yeshiva, one of New York City’s largest Sephardic Jewish schools with more than 1,200 students, became the latest target in a disturbing trend of anti-Jewish vandalism. As of Thursday, Mamdani—who has long faced scrutiny for anti-Semitic rhetoric—had not commented on the attack.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) condemned the silence from Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul, who endorsed his campaign. “This is reprehensible and unacceptable and should serve as a wake-up call that Mamdani is ushering in the pro-terrorist antisemitic takeover of NYC aided and abetted by the Worst Governor in America @KathyHochul,” Stefanik wrote on X. “Both Mamdani and Hochul are SILENT and have failed to condemn.”
During his campaign, Mamdani defended the chant “globalize the intifada” and pledged to drop New York City’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism. He also campaigned with Imam Siraj Wahhaj, an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
The NYPD confirmed a hate crime investigation remains active. No arrests have been made.
