Federal Probe Follows Violent Protests at New York Synagogues

Protests organized by the Palestinian Assembly for Liberation Al-Awda against Israeli real estate events in New York City escalated into violent clashes and a federal civil rights investigation over the weekend of May 10–12, 2026. The group targeted the Great Israeli Real Estate tour, accusing participating agencies of violating international law by selling land in occupied West Bank settlements and restricting event attendance based on discrimination. Demonstrations began at the Park East Synagogue in Manhattan and continued at the Young Israel of Midwood synagogue in Brooklyn's Flatbush neighborhood, where approximately 200 protesters gathered.

The Brooklyn protest turned volatile as demonstrators waved Hamas and Hezbollah flags, burned an Israeli flag, and chanted for a global intifada. Skirmishes erupted between protesters and pro-Israel counter-demonstrators, involving the throwing of eggs and reports of antisemitic slurs. During the chaos, a female activist assaulted a young Jewish girl by grabbing her hair. The NYPD deployed hundreds of officers and arrested four individuals, including one pro-Israel demonstrator. One officer sustained a leg injury and was hospitalized.

The fallout extended to federal authorities. Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice, announced that federal authorities are collecting evidence and investigating potential charges, including the assault on the Jewish girl. Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned hatred toward Jewish New Yorkers but maintained opposition to the real estate expo's promotion of settlement land. Mamdani had recently vetoed a security-perimeter bill covering schools and educational institutions, though he allowed a similar measure for houses of worship to become law. A follow-up protest and counter-rally were subsequently planned for the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates synagogue in Queens.