Anti-Israel Mob Protests Met Council’s Annual Benefit

A chaotic mob of anti-Israel demonstrators targeted a humanitarian benefit hosted by the Met Council on Jewish Poverty Wednesday night, even though the organization has no ties to Israel and is dedicated to fighting poverty.

The incident took place outside the Mandarin Oriental hotel at Columbus Circle, where guests had gathered to support the charity.

The agitators chanted profanity-laced slogans related to the conflict in the Middle East.

The Met Council operates the largest kosher food pantry network in the world and is a leader in developing affordable housing. The decision to target such an organization has drawn sharp condemnation, serving as proof to many observers that the protestors’ grievances are rooted in hatred of Jews rather than specific Israeli policies.

The situation escalated beyond shouting, with reports confirming that protestors threw objects at passersby and attendees.

Crown Heights askan Rabbi Yaacov Behrman expressed his outrage on X, highlighting the absurdity of targeting a charity based solely on its Jewish identity.

“I know this has unfortunately become ‘normal’ in New York in 2025, but it still infuriates me,” Behrman wrote. “Outside a Jewish charity @MetCouncil event, which supports a major Food Pantry Network and is a leader in creating affordable housing, demonstrators showed up simply because the organization is Jewish. And they think it’s acceptable to throw things at passersby.”