City-run board cancels lease of Israel drone supplier, sparking backlash toward Mamdani: ‘Ludicrous’
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing criticism on social media after a Brooklyn navy yard controlled by the city dropped the lease of a company that sends drones to Israel, six weeks after Mamdani took office as mayor after running on a platform critical of Israel.
The controversy stems from a move by the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp. (BNYDC) declining to renew its lease with New York City drone manufacturer Easy Aerial, a company that provides drones to Israel’s military, the New York Post reported.
The BNYDC is controlled by board members who serve at the pleasure of the mayor, and the move comes just over a month after Mamdani was sworn in on New Year’s Day after being widely criticized on the campaign trail for anti-Israel statements and positions.
“Easy Aerial is leaving the Brooklyn Navy Yard,” NYC Democratic Councilman Lincoln Restler posted on X Thursday. “@BklynNavyYard leadership made the right decision last month to not renew their lease. This public asset should not be leasing space to companies producing drones that are being transformed into weapons of war.”
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Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s office for comment on his role, if any, in the decision.
Dating back to last year, anti-Israel protesters have been active at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, calling for the eviction of two tenants, Crye Precision and Easy Aerial, who do business with Israel, the Brooklyn Paper reported.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a BNYDC spokesperson said the decision was made in December and that Easy Aerial was notified in January.
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“BNYDC notified Easy Aerial at the beginning of the year that it would not renew its lease agreement for business reasons related to operational and campus compliance matters,” the spokesperson said. “Like any landlord, we evaluate renewals based on adherence to lease terms and campus policies. There were no other factors in our decision.”
Dating back to his college days, when he founded his school’s Students for Justice In Palestine chapter, Mamdani has supported the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, an issue that came up many times on the campaign trail.
In October, a resurfaced video from 2023 showed Mamdani calling to “end New York state subsidy of settler crimes.”
Mamdani has faced criticism on social media over the board’s move as well as from One Israel Fund Executive Vice President Scott Feltman.
“At a time when terrorists from Hamas are continually violating the ceasefire agreement and attempting to penetrate the buffer zone between Gaza and Israel, the mayor of New York has decided that a company which enables Israel to prevent such incursions is a threat to peace,” Feltman said.
“It is ludicrous on every level and, in the end, New York loses out on another tax-paying company providing good, quality jobs for its residents.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Easy Aerial for comment.
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