New York Governor and Attorney General Condemn ‘Hateful, Antisemitic’ Remarks at Long Island Board Meeting

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York Attorney General Letitia James have condemned what the latter called “antisemitic, hateful remarks” at an April 4 Long Island board meeting.

During the meeting, the issue of a large menorah in front of a Chabad in Rockville Centre was discussed.

A resident named Michelle Zangari said, “This is very emotional for anyone who lives through the transformation of the Five Towns, many of those people live in Rockville Centre now. It began exactly this way. Rabbis and their families purchased homes, creating small synagogues. Congregants then looked to buy property nearby.”

She went on to make the following anti-Semitic remark: “I am asking you to amend the village code so that a synagogue cannot be on every residential street like they are in the Five Towns. Please believe me and every Five Towns transplant that it can happen because we watched it happen.”

Zangari’s remarks sparked outrage, and drew public condemnation from multiple New York elected officials.

“Everyone is welcome in New York. The despicable and antisemitic rhetoric used at a Rockville Centre board of trustees meeting has no place in our state.  We must root out hate wherever it rears its ugly head,” tweeted Hochul.

Everyone is welcome in New York.

The despicable and antisemitic rhetoric used at a Rockville Centre board of trustees meeting has no place in our state.

We must root out hate wherever it rears its ugly head.

— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) April 11, 2022

“The antisemitic, hateful remarks made by an individual at the Rockville Centre board meeting are despicable. New York stands with its Jewish community and all of our communities, and this kind of bigotry won’t go unchecked,” tweeted James.

The antisemitic, hateful remarks made by an individual at the Rockville Centre board meeting are despicable.

New York stands with its Jewish community and all of our communities, and this kind of bigotry won’t go unchecked.

— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) April 11, 2022

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) tweeted, “The anti-Semitic rhetoric and tropes used by a speaker at the recent Rockville Centre village board meeting are offensive and disturbing. We must never stop working to root out antisemitism, bigotry, and hate. Antisemitism has no place in America.”

The anti-Semitic rhetoric and tropes used by a speaker at the recent Rockville Centre village board meeting are offensive and disturbing.

We must never stop working to root out antisemitism, bigotry, and hate.

Antisemitism has no place in America.

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 11, 2022

Watch above, via News 12 Long Island.

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