Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign has denied any connection to Iman Abdul, a former campaign organizer arrested for allegedly making terroristic threats against a Brooklyn high school with a Jewish student population. The campaign condemned the ‘appalling’ antisemitic remarks and reaffirmed that Abdul was never an official staff member.
Iman Abdul, 27, of Brooklyn, was arrested Friday on charges of making a terroristic threat, endangering the welfare of a child, aggravated harassment, and making a threat of mass harm, according to a New York City Police Department (NYPD) spokesperson. The NYPD reported that Abdul made the threat through social media towards Leon Goldstein High School for the Sciences, located in Manhattan Beach within the 61st Precinct.
The New York Post was the first to report on the case, obtaining screenshots of posts purportedly shared from Abdul’s since-deactivated Instagram account. The outlet revealed an alleged post by Abdul, stating, “If anyone needs a public school in NYC to attack for whatever reason… Lexus driving Israhell [sic] loving Zionisits [sic] all attend here,” sharing a Google Maps screenshot of the school location.
Stop Antisemitism and Jewish advocate Uri Cohen posted Abdul’s photo and the screenshot of the post to X, demanding her prosecution for the threats. Online court records show Abdul was arraigned on one count of making a terror, and one count of making a threat of mass harm, pleading not guilty.
Tova Plaut, a Department of Education pre-K staffer and Jewish activist, reportedly told The Post, “This isn’t just dangerous. It’s evil. Jew-hatred doesn’t stop with a threat. It escalates. We need immediate and unequivocal action.”
The Post was also the first to identify Abdul’s connection to Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign. According to the outlet, Abdul worked on the