NYPD commissioner 'proudly' leads Israel parade as grand marshal; Mamdani breaks tradition, avoids event

The yearly parade honoring Israel kicked disconnected successful New York City connected Sunday without New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who earlier said helium had chosen to skip the event, arsenic his constabulary commissioner led the parade arsenic a expansive marshal and different New York governmental leaders specified arsenic Gov. Kathy Hochul and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer attended.

The Israel Day parade has ever been a must-attend lawsuit for mayors, governors and different governmental leaders to observe the Jewish authorities with throngs of revelers who battalion Fifth Avenue.

Mamdani connected Thursday told reporters astatine a quality league that helium would not beryllium attending.

"I said connected the run way that I wouldn’t beryllium attending the parade, and I’ve made my views connected the Israeli authorities abundantly clear," the politician said.

MAMDANI WON'T ATTEND ISRAEL DAY PARADE, BREAKING DECADES-LONG MAYORAL TRADITION AMID ANTISEMITISM SURGE

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani participates successful the 2026 St. Patrick's Day Parade successful New York City connected March 17. Mamdani has chosen not to be the city's Israel Day parade, sparking disapproval amid records levels of antisemitism. (John Lamparski/Getty Images)

The city’s constabulary commissioner, Jessica Tisch, who is Jewish, told reporters arsenic she stood alongside Mamdani astatine the quality league that she would "proudly" march successful the parade.

Mamdani’s determination broke a long-standing contented of mayors participating successful the event.

New York Republican gubernatorial campaigner Bruce Blakeman, who has agelong criticized Mamdani, called the politician "anti-Israel" during his ain quality league earlier the parade began.

New York Republican Gubernatorial campaigner Bruce Blakeman criticized Mamdani astatine the Israel Day parade. (Adam Gray/Reuters)

"I deliberation that he's an anti-Semite. I deliberation he's anti-Israel," Blakeman said of Mamdani. "One of the archetypal things helium did arsenic politician was helium watered down the explanation of antisemitism. He speaks retired against Israel each the time."

Blakeman said that portion Mamdani "denigrates Israel," the politician chooses to not talk retired connected countries that suppress quality rights.

DEM GOVERNOR CRITICIZES MAMDANI FOR NOT CONDEMNING 'BLATANTLY ANTISEMITIC' RHETORIC

"Never says thing astir places similar Iran, Russia, China, places that truly don't person the benignant of quality rights that Israel does," helium said of the mayor. "So we don't privation to spot him marching here, due to the fact that we don't privation a wolf successful sheep's covering marching successful our parade."

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, pictured 3rd from right, stands connected signifier arsenic leaders talk up of the yearly Israel Day parade successful New York City connected Sunday, May 31, 2026. (Israel ngo to UN)

Danny Danon, Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, said it was breathtaking to spot thousands of radical travel retired to observe Israel contempt Mamdani’s determination to skip the parade.

"While the politician chose to boycott the lawsuit and crook his backmost connected tens of thousands of Jews and supporters of Israel, the nationalist came successful droves to beryllium that the transportation to Israel is stronger than immoderate governmental campaign," Danon said successful a connection to Fox News Digital. "Anyone who thinks they tin erase Israel oregon region the Jewish assemblage from this metropolis saw a wide reply contiguous connected the streets of New York. No 1 volition marque america instrumentality down the Israeli flag. Not successful New York, nor anyplace other successful the world."

Meanwhile, Hochul and Schumer were joined astatine the parade by different New York leaders similar authorities Attorney General Leticia James.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Speaking earlier the parade began, Schumer denounced what helium called "an disfigured resurgence" of antisemitism.

"And present we are seeing an disfigured resurgence of antisemitism crossed the world, driven by the aforesaid lies and libels that person tormented the Jewish radical for generations," helium said. "Except present they're transmitted astatine the velocity of a fibre optic net connection. In 30 seconds, lies are connected your pouch phone. That's wherefore a Jewish authorities is much important than ever, amtisemitism isn't going away. It ever lingers, dormant successful the shadows, waiting for the close conditions."