Anti-Israel protesters briefly succeeded in driving Democratic New York Rep. Josh Riley out of his own town hall event on Oct. 6.
Riley, a freshman lawmaker representing a sprawling swing district in upstate New York, was heckled nearly six-minutes straight over his support for Israel and refusal to label the country’s war against Hamas a “genocide.” The congressman ultimately left the room while a vocal female protester exited the venue before proceeding with the town hall event.
The explosive town hall scene came as support for Israel has plummeted among Democrats and lawmakers are under pressure from the party’s left flank to take a hard line against the country’s war in Gaza. The Israeli military and Hamas stopped fighting on Friday as part of a ceasefire deal brokered in part by President Donald Trump.
“Seventy-five percent of Democratic voters are against you — the United States — giving arms to Israel,” a gray-haired woman stood up and shouted at Riley while he was talking to the crowd at the SUNY Sullivan campus. “Why are you voting for arms to Israel?”
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Riley repeatedly told the woman that he wanted to answer her question, but that she needed to follow the town hall format of presenting her concerns in a respectful and orderly manner.
“Just answer it,” the woman continued in a raised voice. “People are dying. Americans do not want to support genocide.”
The female protester also laid into Riley for traveling to Israel in August with a group of fellow House Democrats. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)-affiliated American Israel Education Foundation sponsored their visit.
“I would love to answer your question,” Riley then repeated again despite the woman continuing to disrupt the event with anti-Israel talking points.
“You’re filibustering!” a male protester immediately replied to Riley.
“You’re supposed to listen to your voters!” the woman told the congressman.
“I’m trying to,” Riley said in response before he left the room. The female protester left the venue before Riley resumed the Q&A portion of the town hall event, according to local outlet River Reporter.
A spokesperson for Riley did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
Riley’s comes as anti-Israel protesters have repeatedly disrupted former Vice President Kamala Harris’ multi-city book tour.
Three in four Democratic voters oppose sending additional military aid to Israel for the country’s war against Hamas, a Quinnipiac poll released in August found.
Riley also criticized federal law enforcement agents for masking despite increased attacks on officers and personnel subjected to dangerous work conditions.
“Local law enforcement no matter who you are should not be wearing masks,” Riley replied to a constituent who asked how the locality could force Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to unmask when conducting immigration raids.
The freshman lawmaker also voiced support for creating a pathway to citizenship for illegal migrants with no criminal record.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), House Republicans’ campaign arm, blasted Riley for supporting amnesty for illegal immigrants and opposing law enforcement officers wearing face masks to protect their identities.
“Radical Democrat Josh Riley has zero respect for anyone who disagrees with his dangerous, far-left agenda that prioritizes criminals and illegal immigrants above law enforcement heroes and hardworking New Yorkers,” NRCC spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole said. “Upstate deserves better.”
Though Riley voted for GOP-authored legislation to crack down on criminal illegal migrants, he opposed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which provided historic levels of funding to ICE to expand its detention capacity and complete construction of the southern border wall. Riley accused Republicans of “shitting” on the middle class by passing the legislation, which also reformed Medicaid and food assistance programs.
The Democrat has also invested up to $15,000 worth of shares in a “women owned, queer-led” distillery that sells liquor with left-wing messaging such as “Fascist Tears” vodka and “Dissent” gin,” the New York Post first reported.
Early analysis of the 2026 race for New York’s 19th congressional district rates the contest as “Lean Democrat.” Now-Federal Transit Administration (FTA) head Marc Molinaro, who Riley defeated in 2024 during the most expensive House race of the cycle, is not expected to seek a rematch.
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