Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani Criticizes CUNY for Firing Pro-Palestine Faculty

During a Brooklyn College event hosted by Senator Bernie Sanders, socialist NYC mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani condemned the City University of New York (CUNY) for dismissing faculty members who advocate for Palestinian rights. Mamdani emphasized that supporting Palestinian human rights should not lead to disciplinary action for educators.

He referred to at least four adjunct professors at Brooklyn College, who claim they were fired in June not for performance issues but due to their pro-Palestine stance. Critics note that these professors have also faced accusations of enabling antisemitism, given the college’s significant Jewish student population.

Zohran Mamdani speaking at a town hall event at Brooklyn College, criticizing CUNY’s treatment of pro-Palestine faculty.

The event drew a predominantly progressive crowd of nearly 1,800 attendees, who responded with cheers and chants of “Free! Free Palestine!” Mamdani’s remarks coincided with Sanders, who criticized U.S. support for Israel and called for a more humane foreign policy.

Sanders, a former Brooklyn College student, framed the NYC mayoral race as a “test case” for American democracy, questioning the influence of wealthy oligarchs. He suggested they fear Mamdani’s rising influence, warning that his campaign could serve as a blueprint for change across the country.

During the event, Mamdani discussed his platform priorities, including lowering the retirement age for certain public employees from 63 to 55 and expanding legal aid for undocumented immigrants facing deportation.

Bernie Sanders and Zohran Mamdani at a town hall — Sanders and Mamdani addressed the audience, emphasizing issues of affordability and justice in New York City.

provocatively, a woman protesting Mamdani’s support for Palestinian rights was forcibly removed from the event on Sanders’ orders after attempting to ask about the safety of Jewish residents. Additionally, a heckler with a Cuban flag T-shirt was ejected after shouting accusations at Mamdani.

Mamdani quipped, “You know that something has changed when it’s not enough to call us Democratic socialists anymore,” highlighting the shifting political landscape.

Criticism prior to the event included accusations that Brooklyn College’s use of a public campus for a partisan rally amounted to politicization of educational space, with former CUNY trustee Jeffrey Wiesenfeld dismissing Sanders’ intervention as an attempt to boost Mamdani’s campaign.

Brooklyn College responded that the Leonard and Claire Tow Center, where the event was held, is accessible for rent by any candidate, asserting it is a neutral facility within the public university system.