Adams Signs Controversial Anti-Hate Order Amid Mayoral Race Heat

In a move that has sparked debate across New York City’s political landscape, Mayor Eric Adams signed an executive order requiring city agencies to adopt a specific definition of antisemitism. The ceremony took place at a synagogue in Manhattan, where Adams described antisemitism as a “vile disease” spreading throughout the nation and city.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition that Adams has now mandated includes provisions that free speech advocates worry could be used to suppress legitimate political discourse about Israel. The definition’s examples of antisemitism encompass criticism of Israel’s existence as a state and applying what it terms “double standards” to Israeli conduct compared to other democratic nations.
With the Democratic primary just two weeks away, Adams faces strong competition from Andrew Cuomo and Zohran Mamdani, who hold vastly different positions on Middle East policy. While Cuomo has aligned himself closely with Israeli leadership, even joining Netanyahu’s legal defense team, Mamdani has been a vocal critic of Israeli actions in Gaza, calling the situation there “genocide.”