NYC Council Speaker Menin receives standing ovation for powerful Oct. 7 message in veiled swipe at Mamdani: ‘Today should be a day about only one thing’

On the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a statement that combined condemnation of Hamas' 'horrific war crimes' with a sharp critique of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which he labeled 'genocide.' His remarks drew intense criticism from a range of figures, including NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin, several members of Congress, and international officials, who argued the day should be reserved exclusively for mourning victims of the initial attack. Menin received a standing ovation for a speech emphasizing that the anniversary is about honoring the 1,200 murdered by Hamas, a message widely interpreted as a rebuke of Mamdani’s broader framing.

On the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a statement that combined condemnation of Hamas' 'horrific war crimes' with a sharp critique of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which he labeled 'genocide.' His remarks drew intense criticism from a range of figures, including NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin, several members of Congress, and international officials, who argued the day should be reserved exclusively for mourning victims of the initial attack. Menin received a standing ovation for a speech emphasizing that the anniversary is about honoring the 1,200 murdered by Hamas, a message widely interpreted as a rebuke of Mamdani’s broader framing.