Democratic congressional nominee Brad Lander was met with antisemitic slurs and hostility from protesters he sought to join outside a speech by Hindu nationalist leader Mohan Bhagwat at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. Lander, the Democratic nominee for New York's 10th Congressional District, appeared to expect solidarity from the demonstrators opposing Bhagwat, the chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), but was instead met with shouts of “F–k you Zionist balls–k” and told to leave.
Video footage of the incident showed Lander arguing with a demonstrator before being told by others in the group to “Get the f–k” out, as they did not want “Zionists” supporting their cause. Lander, who identifies as a “liberal Zionist” despite past criticism of Israel, was forced to leave the immediate area for his safety.
The protest targeted Mohan Bhagwat and the RSS, a nationalist organization that critics accuse of intolerance towards religious minorities, particularly Muslims. Protesters cited concerns over the RSS's treatment of minorities in India, with signs outside the venue declaring that “Modi’s India beats, rapes, lynches Christians, Dalits, Muslims & Sikhs.” Bhagwat was addressing approximately 5,000 members of Indian American groups during the event, described on its website as a “Universal Oneness Celebration.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had previously expressed opposition to the event, characterizing the RSS ideology as exclusionary and contrary to the city's pluralistic values. However, Mamdani acknowledged that the city lacked the jurisdiction to cancel the private event. He stated that his opposition was influenced by his family background and his role as mayor of a diverse city.
Peter Friedrich, an independent journalist who has covered Hindu nationalism for over a decade, was present at the protest and criticized Mamdani's stance as insufficiently strong. The U.S. Commission of International Religious Freedom has previously stated that the RSS has been involved in acts of extreme violence and intolerance against minority groups for decades. The RSS, considered the ideological parent of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, disputes these accusations, describing itself as a “Hindu centric civilisational, cultural movement” focused on uniting Hindus and advancing the nation.