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The team of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., strongly denounced the “shocking” antisemitic comments made by a woman who was arrested for allegedly threatening a Brooklyn public high school where Jewish students attend. They also refuted a report claiming that the suspect had previously worked for them.
Iman Abdul, 27, from Brooklyn, was taken into custody on Friday on charges of making a terroristic threat, endangering the welfare of a child, aggravated harassment, and making a threat of mass harm, according to a spokesperson from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) as confirmed to Fox News Digital.
The NYPD reported that on Thursday afternoon, it was notified that Abdul had “made a terroristic threat through social media” directed at the Leon Goldstein High School for the Sciences in Manhattan Beach, which falls under the jurisdiction of the 61st Precinct.
An image of Iman Abdul, on the left, obtained from the NY Post, who reportedly worked as a youth organizer for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. (NY Post/ Getty Images)
The New York Post was the first to report on the incident, revealing screenshots of posts allegedly shared from Abdul’s Instagram account, which has since been deactivated.
“If anyone needs a public school in NYC to attack for whatever reason… Lexus driving Israhell [sic] loving Zionists [sic] all attend here,” Abdul allegedly wrote, along with a screenshot from Google Maps showing the school’s location.
The group Stop Antisemitism and Jewish advocate Uri Cohen both shared Abdul’s photo and the post screenshot, calling for her prosecution over the threats.
Online court records indicate that Abdul pleaded not guilty to one count of making a terroristic threat and one count of making a threat of mass harm during her arraignment.
“A map. A pin. A call to harm Jews, fellow New Yorkers, children, teachers. This isn’t just dangerous. It’s evil. Jew-hatred doesn’t stop with a threat. It escalates. We need immediate and unequivocal action,” stated Tova Plaut, a Department of Education pre-K staffer and Jewish activist, as reported by The Post. “I am outraged and horrified that a NYC school was publicly marked for attack simply because of its Jewish population.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., participating in the New Queens Pride Parade in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York, on June 1, 2025. ( by Anthony Behar/Sipa USA)
In a message to Stop Antisemitism, Abdul reportedly defended her post before deactivating her account.
“I never called for an attack on the school in terms of organizing a mass action or even individuals targeting specific people, that’s just ridiculous,” she wrote, as per the Post. “I called for an attack on the school, the Zionist institution funded by our public dollars… we have every right to criticize the school verbally.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office for further details on Sunday but did not receive an immediate response.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., at a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing with Sanctuary City Mayors on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, March 5, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
The Post was also the first to establish Abdul’s link to Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign. According to the Post, Abdul had worked as a youth organizer on the “Squad” member’s Democratic primary campaign in the summer of 2018. State Sen. Julia Salazar reportedly mentioned that Abdul had also worked as a paid canvasser on Salazar’s campaign during the same period.
Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign office refuted claims that Abdul had ever been a part of the campaign staff.
“This individual was never employed by the campaign, and any suggestion otherwise is untrue,” the campaign stated. “Their statements are abhorrent, and we unequivocally denounce any threats of violence.”
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When contacted by Fox News Digital, Abdul’s lawyer, Geoffrey St. Andrew Stewart, declined to comment on the case.
