NYPD commissioner ‘proudly’ leads Israel parade as grand marshal; Mamdani breaks tradition, avoids event
The annual parade honoring Israel kicked off in New York on Sunday without the Mayor of New York Zohran Mamdanihe had previously said he chose to skip the event because the police commissioner was leading the parade as a grand marshal and was joined by other New York political leaders such as Gov. Kathy Hochul and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
The Israel Day parade has always been a must-attend event for mayors, governors and other political leaders to celebrate the Jewish state with crowds of revelers filling Fifth Avenue.
Mamdani told reporters at a news conference on Thursday that he would not attend.
“I he said on the campaign trail “I said I would not attend the parade and made my views on the Israeli government abundantly clear,” the mayor said.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani attends the 2026 St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 17 in New York City. Mamdani’s choice not to participate in the city’s Israel Day parade sparked criticism due to record levels of antisemitism.
(Getty Images)
Jessica Tisch, the city’s Jewish police commissioner, told reporters as she stood next to Mamdani at the news conference that she would march “proudly” in the parade.
Mamdani’s decision broke a long-standing tradition of mayors attending the event.
New York Republican governor candidate Bruce Blakeman, a long-time critic of Mamdani, called the mayor “anti-Israel” at a news conference before the parade began.
New York Republican Governor candidate Bruce Blakeman criticized Mamdani at the Israel Day parade.
“I think he’s an anti-Semite. I think he’s anti-Israel,” Blakeman said of Mamdani. “One of the first things he did as mayor was: We watered down the definition of antisemitism. “He constantly speaks against Israel.”
Blakeman said Mamdani “denigrated Israel” but the mayor chose not to talk about countries that suppress human rights.
Dem Governor Criticizes Mamdani for Failure to Condemn ‘Openly Anti-Semitic’ Rhetoric
“I never say anything about places like this Iranian“Places like Russia, China, Israel, places that don’t have human rights,” he said of the mayor, “That’s why we don’t want to see him marching here, because we don’t want a wolf in sheep’s clothing walking in our parade.”
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said it was exciting to see thousands of people come out to celebrate Israel despite Mamdani’s decision to skip the parade.
“While the mayor chose to boycott the event and turn his back on tens of thousands of people Jews and supporters of IsraelDanon said in a statement to Fox News Digital: “Anyone who thinks they can erase Israel or remove the Jewish community from this city saw a clear answer on the streets of New York today. No one can make us take down the Israeli flag. Not in New York or anywhere else in the world.”
Meanwhile, Hochul and Schumer were joined in the parade by other New York leaders, such as state Attorney General Leticia James.
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Speaking before the parade began, Schumer condemned what he called an “ugly resurgence” of anti-Semitism.
“And now we see The ugly resurgence of antisemitism “The same lies and slanders that have tormented the Jewish people for generations are being spread around the world,” he said. “But they are now transmitted at the speed of a fiber optic internet connection. Lies come to your mobile phone in 30 seconds. That is why the Jewish state is more important than ever; antisemitism is not going away. It always lingers in the shadows, motionless, waiting for the right conditions.”
Original article source: NYPD commissioner ‘proudly’ leads Israeli parade as grand marshal; Mamdani breaks tradition, avoids event
