The iron curtain is cracking.
A civil war is brewing within the DSA over its support for Mayor Zohran Mamdani – with fellow socialists angry over his participation in an October 7 vigil and his support for New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
Youth chapters of New York City’s American Democratic Socialists supported a protest outside City Hall on Wednesday – the anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 – condemning “the mayor’s failure to uphold his commitment to the Palestine Liberation Movement.”
Sources said local chapter leaders moved quickly to try to quell public criticism of youth chapters that had supported the rally.
But Mamdani was still heckled by protesters at a candlelight vigil for the victims later Wednesday in Union Square.
“Zohran, you cannot hide, we accuse you of genocide,” they chanted at Hizzoner, who remained impassive despite the boos of his anti-Israeli comrades.
Screenshots of internal group chats from NYC-DSA’s “Anti-War Task Force” obtained by The Post show members angry after leaders apparently threatened to defund youth chapters and told them to stop using “pro-Hamas dog whistles” — calling them “unambiguously racist” and “inexcusable.”
Members of the group chat took exception to an Instagram post from Hunter College’s Youth DSA chapter — which approved the rally at City Hall — claiming that NYC-DSA leaders had threatened funding for youth chapters.
“F—ing DISGUSTING,” one wrote
“I have nothing more to say with the direction of this chapter. It’s just non-stop horses,” another chimed in.
One member even offered to use his “status as a Jew with family in the entity” to help respond to the brouhaha.
“I was born here but was registered by my family for a citizenship which I renounced, I don’t care about Jewish/Israeli feelings which, they should be made to cry more IMHO,” they wrote.
The heightened tension came before Mamdani delivered a fiery anti-ICE speech at a news conference about Thursday’s shooting by federal agents of a suspected criminal migrant during an arrest in the Bronx, but Hizzoner still faced accusations of being “complicit” from protesters in the crowd.
“Jessica Tisch must remove ICE from New York and end the NYPD’s complicity with these terrorists,” the NYC-DSA published on Friday X.
“If the commissioner cannot stop these injustices, she must be fired,” the group said, without directly calling on the mayor – who appointed Tisch to the position – to take action.
DSA-NYC co-chairs Grace Mausser and Gustavo Gordillo did not respond to requests for comment Friday.
A City Hall spokesperson said there were no plans to remove Tisch from his position.
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