Taxpayer-Funded Muslim Nonprofit Hosted Brooklyn Fundraiser Selling Hamas, Hezbollah Propaganda, ‘Bomb Tel Aviv’

A Muslim nonprofit organization that has received more than $260,000 in New York City taxpayer funding, and maintains ties to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, hosted a Brooklyn pop-up fundraiser where vendors openly sold merchandise praising Hamas and other US-designated terrorist groups, the New York Post reported Saturday.

The Muslim American Society held the Jan. 18 event, billed as a Sudan relief fundraiser, at its Brooklyn youth center. Vendors there sold keychains, stickers, pins and other items expressing support for Hamas, Hezbollah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The youth center is operated by a Muslim advocacy group that has taken in $265,000 in City Council discretionary funding over the past three years, including $150,000 approved directly by then-Speaker Adrienne Adams. Despite that public backing, the fundraiser allowed sellers to openly display pro-terror paraphernalia.

Additional merchandise at the event, known as Thrift4Sudan, featured reverential imagery of eliminated terrorist leaders Hassan Nasrallah of Hezbollah and Yahya Sinwar of Hamas. Other items depicted a masked figure resembling Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida.

Some of the merchandise went even further, bearing terror-group insignia or explicit calls for violence against Israel, with slogans including “Let’s go bomb Tel Aviv” and “Death to the IDF,” according to reporting by The Times of Israel.

That outlet cited a video of the fundraiser that was briefly posted, and later removed, from Instagram by Palestinian Assembly for Liberation PAL-Awda, the same anti-Israel group that earlier this month chanted “We support Hamas!” outside a Queens synagogue.

Financial filings show the Washington-based Muslim American Society’s New York chapter reported $982,123 in net assets for 2024, according to its most recent tax documents.

City records reviewed by The Post show that since fiscal year 2023, the City Council awarded $265,000 in discretionary funds to MAS-NY, largely routed through its Brooklyn and Staten Island operations. The funding was earmarked for youth programs, victim services and other community initiatives.

More than half of that money, $150,000, was allocated through then-Speaker Adrienne Adams, while former Brooklyn Councilman Justin Brannan approved an additional $80,000.

The nonprofit’s New York leadership includes Abdullah Akl, a well-known pro-Hamas activist who grew up attending the Brooklyn youth center and now organizes for the radical anti-Israel group Within Our Lifetime.

MAS’ growing footprint in city politics accelerated after the November election of socialist Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s first Muslim mayor. MAS-NY executive director Sherif Ahmed and Hannah Towfeik, political director at the group’s youth center, both sit on Mamdani’s transition team, which is currently helping staff senior City Hall roles.

Newly elected Council Speaker Julie Menin, the first Jewish speaker in the Council’s history, reacted with shock when contacted by The Post about the fundraiser and its merchandise.

Menin has moved to block $80,000 in Council funds already awarded to MAS for the current fiscal year while city attorneys conduct a review. Future funding for the organization could also be barred, according to her office.

“The City Council has zero tolerance for violations of our standards,” spokesman Jonathan Szott said. “Funding to this organization is being paused pending a comprehensive internal review. Any nonprofit found to be supporting organizations that threaten the United States government is unacceptable and incompatible with City Council funding.”

Messages left by the Post with the Muslim American Society, its Brooklyn youth center and Mayor Mamdani’s office were not immediately returned.

Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, a Brooklyn Republican, urged Menin to tighten oversight of all groups receiving City Council funding.

“It’s no surprise that the radicals in City Hall are abusing taxpayer dollars to spread Hamas propaganda,” Vernikov said.

“These funds must be returned to the City of New York, and any organization who engages in aiding and abetting terrorists must be investigated, stripped of funding and criminally prosecuted.”