New York City Mayor Eric Adams has issued a warning about what he views as radicalization infiltrating the United States during an event celebrating Jewish heritage on Wednesday.
Adams, a Democrat, said that pro-Palestinian protests that landed New York City at the center of the domestic debate about the Israel-Hamas conflict are signs of growing radicalization among Gen Z, tying the protests to a 2023 Gallup poll that found a nearly record-low percent of young Americans proud about their national identity.
"When you add that lack of percentage with the fact that, right on our college campuses, we're radicalizing our children not only to hate Jewish people but to hate the country that they're educated in the first place," Adams said. "Something is wrong with that." Newsweek reached out to Adams' office for comment via email.
The Gallup poll, which found that only 18 percent of those between 18 and 34 feel "extremely proud" to be an American, prompted questions from Adams about who is "coming through the pipeline," he said. He added that these concerns came after Memorial Day commemorations on Monday.
"What is the next generation of soldiers? What is the next generation of police officers? What is the next generation of leaders of our amazing country, like Israel, where young people join the military service to really embrace patriotism," Adams said. "We have moved so far away from our patriotism and what really rooted us in the success in the first place."
Notably, military service is mandatory for nearly all Israeli citizens once they turn 18.
Adams has been critical of the pro-Palestinian protests in New York, which came amid growing concerns about the death toll of civilians in Gaza during Israel's offensive in the region.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched an attack against Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 others hostage. The Israelis subsequently launched an offensive in Gaza that has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians in the months since, The Associated Press reports, citing the Gaza Ministry of Health.
Supporters of these protesters say students have First Amendment rights to speak out against a military action they view as unjust, while critics say the protests veered into antisemitism and were disruptive to city and college operations.
During a press conference earlier in May, Wednesday, New York Police Department (NYPD) Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism Rebecca Weiner said that there is "a concern around radicalization" in the city, adding that there was a concerning "trajectory" among young people.
During that same press conference, Adams said: "This is a global problem that young people are being influenced by those who are professionals at radicalizing our children, and I'm not going to allow that to happen as the mayor of the city of New York."
The Gallup poll found that, overall, 39 percent of Americans are proud of their national identity. That figure was 40 percent for those between the ages of 35 and 54, and 50 percent for those 55 and older, according to the survey.
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About the writer
Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more