1. United States
2. Colo.
3. Letter

I urge you to publicly stand with Zohran Mamdani and his decisive Day One actions defending civil liberties and free expression. By repealing executive orders that adopted the flawed IHRA definition of antisemitism and banned city engagement with Israel-related boycotts, Mayor Mamdani made clear that combating antisemitism must not be used as a pretext to silence dissent or punish advocacy for Palestinian rights. Across the country, these policies have been weaponized to blur the line between antisemitism and legitimate criticism of the Israeli government—chilling protected speech and suppressing protest. Repealing the city’s anti-BDS order reaffirmed a basic democratic principle: nonviolent boycotts are a long-standing and lawful tool for social change. Anti-BDS measures do not fight hate—they police political views and entrench injustice. Mayor Mamdani’s leadership shows that we can confront antisemitism seriously without diluting the term or suppressing free expression. At a moment when many leaders choose silence or caution, he chose clarity and courage. I ask you to stand with this principled leadership and affirm the right to speak, protest, and organize without fear.