New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani explicitly condemned chants supporting Hamas as backing a 'terrorist organization' following a contentious protest outside a Queens synagogue. The demonstration, held on Thursday night, January 9, 2026, saw pro-Palestinian activists chanting slogans such as 'We support Hamas here' during an event against an Israeli real estate expo in the heavily Jewish neighborhood of Kew Gardens Hills. Mamdani's definitive statement came as a clarification to earlier, more general remarks where he had condemned the rhetoric and displays at the protest without specifically naming Hamas or antisemitism. In a follow-up comment posted on social media, he unequivocally stated, 'Chants in support of a terrorist organization have no place in our city.' This strong condemnation aligns with statements from other prominent New York leaders, including Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Kathy Hochul, who also branded Hamas as a terrorist organization and denounced the pro-Hamas rhetoric. The incident represents an early challenge for Mayor Mamdani, who has Indian roots and has often been a vocal critic of Israeli government policies, navigating the complex intersection of pro-Palestinian activism and concerns about antisemitism in a city with a large Jewish population. The controversy underscores the ongoing global and local tensions surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict and the heightened scrutiny faced by public figures in addressing such sensitive issues. The news was widely reported by credible sources including The Times of Israel, The Jerusalem Post, and The Times of India, corroborating the mayor's statements and the context of the protests.