The Bronx office of US representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was vandalised early on Monday, with red paint splashed across the front and a sign accusing her of funding genocide in Gaza, according to New York City police, who have launched an investigation.
The incident came as the progressive Democrat faces what her campaign manager described as 'multiple threats on the congresswoman’s life' following a recent House vote on American aid to Israel. Ocasio-Cortez voted against an amendment that would have cut funding for Israel’s missile defence system, and also against the overall defence spending bill, which included more than $600m in aid for Israel.
In a series of social media posts, Ocasio-Cortez denied supporting the funding, writing: 'Google is free. If you’re saying I voted for military funding, you are lying.' She described the 'threat environment' as 'scary' and urged critics to 'drag me for the position if you disagree but don’t lie'.
Her campaign manager, Oliver Hidalgo-Wohlleben, said staff were cleaning up the office, which serves as a community hub, and that security partners were taking the threats seriously. The Democratic Socialists of America criticised Ocasio-Cortez’s vote on the amendment, accusing her of backing Israel’s 'eliminationist campaign against the Palestinian people'.
Ocasio-Cortez, who has described Israel’s military actions in Gaza as 'genocide', has represented New York’s 14th congressional district since 2019. Earlier this year, she drew national attention by endorsing democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral race.
