New York City Zohran Mamdani praised New York Attorney General Letitia James for ordering Betar US to cease its "campaign of violence, harassment, and intimidation against Arab, Muslim, and Jewish New Yorkers."
The AG announced the settlement with Betar, which is considered to be a far-right Zionist not-for-profit group, on Tuesday. It follows an extensive investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) into Betar's campaigning against, and "widespread persecution" of Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, and Jewish New Yorkers.
The settlement requires Betar to immediately cease instigating or encouraging violence against individuals, threatening protesters, and harassing individuals exercising their civil rights, and subjects the organization to a suspended $50,000 penalty that will be enforced if Betar violates the agreement. According to the OAG, Betar is seeking to dissolve its not-for-profit corporation and is winding down operations in New York.
“New York will not tolerate organizations that use fear, violence, and intimidation to silence free expression or target people because of who they are,” said Attorney General James. “My office’s investigation uncovered an alarming and illegal pattern of bias-motivated harassment and violence designed to terrorize communities and shut down lawful protest."
Betar's behavior 'unacceptable,' AG says
"This behavior is unacceptable, and it is not who we are as New Yorkers. My office will continue to use every tool available to protect all New Yorkers’ civil rights and public safety.”
The investigation into Betar began in March 2025 after receiving multiple complaints alleging that Betar engaged in threatening conduct towards individuals connected to pro-Palestinian protests.
The OAG said it uncovered numerous public and private statements by Betar leadership and members expressing anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and anti-Muslim sentiment, including repeated use of slurs and demeaning language. It also found that Betar targeted Jewish individuals who expressed views that the group opposed.
Attorney General James considered Betar’s actions to be in violation of New York’s civil rights laws, including statutes that prohibit bias-motivated violence, harassment, and intimidation, as well as discrimination against individuals exercising their rights to protest and engage in peaceful assembly.
Betar responded by urging "all Zionists to evacuate NYC voluntarily as we did."