Mamdani plans to devote millions to combating “hate.” But where will the money actually go?
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has faced accusations of antisemitism since his mayoral campaign, was never going to please everyone with his plan to “combat antisemitism.”
When he unveiled the city’s Strategy to Combat Antisemitism on Tuesday, the proposal predictably drew blowback. As Josh Appel suggested in UnHerd, Mamdani’s approach failed some of his supporters’ “anti-Zionism purity test.” According to Appel, a pro-Palestinian influencer, Guy Christensen, argued that Mamdani revealed his Zionist leanings by not taking action against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, by meeting with Alex Soros, and by initiating “the first municipal effort to combat antisemitism” that leans on 50% Zionist pro‑Israel sources. Others, including New York City council member Eric Dinowitz, contended the plan falls short because it does not tackle anti-Zionism directly.
“If you want to confront antisemitism, you have to consider how anti-Zionism can manifest as antisemitism,” Dinowitz told ABC7 Eyewitness News.
Whether the debate centers on whether the plan is too Zionist or not enough, or whether Mamdani critiques Israel adequately, one thing remains clear: the proposal warrants scrutiny for another reason. It dedicates substantial taxpayer funds to New York City’s extensive nonprofit anti‑hate complex.
In addition to earmarking $1 million for security at houses of worship, the plan designates $6.4 million for Partners Against the Hate (P.A.T.H.) grants, effectively doubling last year’s funding to community groups such as the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC). The executive director of the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes (OPHC) notes that the core P.A.T.H. partners also include the 67th Precinct Clergy Council, as well as the New York City Anti‑Violence Project, the Arab American Association of New York, the Asian American Federation, and the Hispanic Federation. These coalitions work together “to combat antisemitism, anti-LGBTQ+ hate, Islamophobia, anti-Asian hate, anti-Arab hate, anti-Black racism, and other manifestations of bias, while fostering inclusion, solidarity, and safety for all New Yorkers.”
PATH grants are administered through the OPHC, which was established in 2019. The office “strives to uphold New York City’s strong commitment to diversity and respect for all” via education, laws and enforcement, and community relations. While the office’s mission sounds laudable, a pressing question remains: can a government program rooted in eradicating something as nebulous as “hate” realistically achieve that goal? Such an ambition warrants careful examination.
The OPHC also invites New York nonprofits and individuals to apply for Community Project Grants of up to $10,000 to prevent hate violence, address bias-motivated incidents, and strengthen respect and inclusion across the city. For FY 2027, winners reportedly include “an arts-based storytelling and healing initiative for immigrant English-language learners” and a Brooklyn-based community storytelling project exploring “migration, identity, stereotypes, and belonging,” according to Harlem World. While the city may insist these projects aim to shift attitudes at the grassroots level, it’s doubtful that bigots and criminals (and bigoted criminals) would voluntarily attend such events. Moreover, is it the city’s duty to alter the “hate” or “bigotry” lurking in people’s hearts?
In 2021, the anti-hate crimes office also distributed a series of “Innovation” grants for projects intended to curb hate crimes by a June 2022 deadline. Yet in November 2022, The City Reporter observed that the office offered little detail about where the money went or who received it.
Despite these concerns about the OPHC, the city seems determined to channel more funding its way. Throughout his mayoral campaign, Mamdani vowed to boost anti-hate crime funding, and his plan for the Department of Community Safety stated an intention to lift spending on hate-violence programs from about $3 million to roughly $26 million—an increase of more than eightfold. In May, Jacob Kornbluh of Forward reported that Mamdani’s administration announced a ninefold rise in OPHC funding, fulfilling a campaign pledge. Kornbluh also noted that Mamdani intended to launch the city’s antisemitism-fighting program in the autumn.
Mamdani’s drive to fund anti-hate initiatives aligns with New York City’s long practice of addressing hate by backing a broad network of nonprofits and activist groups. By directing money to organizations that have a stake in asserting that hate exists, he may be giving them a built‑in rationale for existence. The mayor’s obligation is to safeguard residents from crime and to keep New Yorkers of every background physically safe. Yet those who advocate using taxpayer dollars to subsidize the nonprofit sector in order to “combat” another form of prejudice may find the results disappointing.
