Torres Slams Kew Gardens Hills Hamas Supporters, NYPD Maintains Safety at Shul

A protest targeting a shul in Kew Gardens Hills sparked widespread outrage Thursday night after demonstrators were filmed openly chanting “We support Hamas here,” a declaration that drew sharp condemnation from elected officials and Jewish community leaders.

The demonstration, organized by the group PAL-Awda against an Israeli real estate event, took place outside the Young Israel of Kew Gardens. Law enforcement sources tell Belaaz that around 200 protestors arrived at the shul.

While a heavy NYPD presence kept the physical peace, the rhetoric used by protesters, including chants of “From the River to the Sea,” and support for Hamas terrorists, shook a neighborhood where many residents have close family in Israel.

Assemblymember Sam Berger, who represents the district, expressed the deep pain felt by the local community as they witnessed the glorification of a terror group on their doorstep.
“For the Jewish community in Kew Gardens Hills, many of whom have family & friends living in Israel, this is horrific,” Berger said.

“Accompanied with antisemitic chants of ‘From the River to the Sea’ & ‘We Support Hamas Here,’ hate sadly does have a place in New York.”

Despite the inflammatory language, Berger and witnesses noted that the NYPD maintained safety barricades throughout the event, preventing the demonstrators from breaching the perimeter around the synagogue.

Representative Ritchie Torres (D-NY) issued a blistering statement in response to the footage of the chants, calling out the moral failure of those cheering for the perpetrators of the October 7th massacre.

“Activists protested outside a synagogue, chanting, ‘Say it loud, say it clear, we support Hamas here,'” Torres stated. “Whatever the amnesia surrounding 10/7, the truth must never be forgotten: Hamas murdered, maimed, mutilated…and tortured thousands of innocent Israelis. It is, and has always been, a barbaric oppressor of its own people.”

Torres rejected the notion that the protest was merely pro-Palestinian advocacy.
“Support for Hamas is not an expression of empathy for Palestinians; it is an expression of antipathy toward Jews and Israelis,” Torres said. “Hate has no place in NYC.”

While emotions ran high, askanim urged the Jewish community to exercise restraint to ensure safety. Sorolle Idels, head of the Queens Jewish Alliance (QJA), told Belaaz that she advised residents against holding counter-protests, citing the legal limitations faced by law enforcement.

“Protesting is a legal right. Intimidation is not. Yet the reality on the ground is that the NYPD’s hands are largely tied unless there is direct physical violence by agitators,” Idels told Belaaz. “Knowing this, I have been clear and consistent in my guidance to the community: do not engage in counter-protests. Stay away.”

Idels acknowledged the difficulty of remaining silent in the face of such provocation but emphasized that safety must come first.
“I understand the frustration. I hear those who say we should not stay silent, that we should not allow ourselves to be bullied… But rights exercised without wisdom can quickly become unnecessary risk,” she said. “Showing strength does not mean walking into a hostile environment where safety cannot be guaranteed.”

Instead of street confrontations, Idels said supporters could “Buy Israeli property. Invest in Israel bonds. Support Israeli businesses. Use the power of your purse. That is real support, real impact, and it keeps our community safe.”