A protester chased Democratic socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani out of a downtown Manhattan park Friday, shouting “antisemite” as security rushed him into his car.
The confrontation at Foley Square turned heated when the irate man followed Mamdani and demanded he denounce Hezbollah and Sharia, according to a video on X. Security personnel intervened to escort the candidate away from the scene.
The incident comes as Mamdani faces growing scrutiny over his campaign funding sources. The political newcomer has raised close to $16 million, far outpacing his opponents in private donations, the New York Post reported.
With $5 million cash on hand, he has built a substantial war chest heading into November’s general election. (RELATED: REPORT: Zohran Mamdani’s Mother Revealed To Allegedly Have Deep Ties To Islamic Government)
Socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani chased out of NYC park by protester shouting ‘antisemite’ https://t.co/Uig41vfXbE pic.twitter.com/s9JFvgbLne
— New York Post (@nypost) October 11, 2025
New York City’s public financing system matches local contributions up to eight times the first $250, amplifying small-dollar donors. Mamdani has received contributions from controversial organizations and individuals, according to reports.
Five staff members from the Islamic Circle of North America contributed $1,300 to his campaign, generating $7,700 in total funds through matching. The Council on American-Islamic Relations donated $100,000 to a Mamdani-aligned political action committee, the outlet reported.
College and university workers provided more than 2,000 individual donations to the candidate. New York academics at various institutions contributed just over $105,000, or up to $690,000 when boosted by matching funds.
Mamdani has refused to condemn calls for violence against Israel. He used this week’s Oct. 7 anniversary to accuse Israel of “genocide.”
The candidate’s supporters reject accusations of extremism. Vox recently described Mamdani’s agenda as “not-so-radical,” portraying him as a neighborhood activist and champion of the working class.
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