Staff Reports
Someone decided that the third anniversary of the October 7 slaughter should be a worldwide day of rallies. That decision is not just tone-deaf — it is dangerous. Organizers calling for “October 7” actions in cities like New York are using slogans and images that many see as praise for terrorists. Elected leaders and police must stop treating this as ordinary protest and start treating it as a real security threat to Jewish communities.
Organizers’ call: turning an anniversary into celebration
National networks such as the Anti‑War Action Network have promoted an “October 7: National Day of Action,” and local groups like the Palestinian Youth Movement and some Students for Justice in Palestine chapters are answering the call. Flyers and social posts tied to these events have used phrases that many people find chilling — “Glory to the martyrs,” “Long live October 7” — and imagery like the red inverted triangle associated with the Hamas attack. Whatever these groups claim their intent to be, those words and symbols read as praise for killers, not peaceful protest.
Why Jewish communities and police are worried
This is not idle alarmism. Israel’s Diaspora ministry counted hundreds of anniversary-linked events worldwide and flagged many as medium or high risk. Monitoring groups have repeatedly documented the same slogans and symbols showing up at U.S. rallies and on campuses. Scotland Yard even urged student organizers in London to move their march off that date and warned it would impose conditions if needed. As DAC James Harman put it, there are “serious concerns” about holding a march on Oct. 7 and organisers should “very carefully consider the impact.” Those are not the words of a city with confidence that these gatherings will stay peaceful.
City leaders and police must act — not look away
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the NYPD need to treat these planned rallies as the security risks they are. That means checking permits, setting strict conditions, protecting synagogues and Jewish institutions, and, if organizers insist on rallying with slogans that praise terrorism, revoking or denying street permits. Free speech is a cornerstone of our society, but it does not protect the public celebration of mass murder. If officials continue to equivocate, they will be choosing political convenience over safety.
Conclusion: defend safety, not slogans
There is a place for legitimate protest and debate about policy. There is no place for turning the anniversary of a mass slaughter into a marketing campaign for violence. Organizers who traffic in “martyr” rhetoric and symbols tied to terrorism must be called out, and city leaders must stop pretending this is a normal expression of grievance. Protecting communities and upholding public order is not censorship — it’s common sense. If our public officials want to avoid being remembered as indifferent, they should act like it.
