NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A New York City woman who reportedly once worked as a youth campaign organizer for progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has been arrested for allegedly making threats against a Brooklyn public high school attended by Jewish students.
Iman Abdul, 27, of Brooklyn, was arrested Friday on charges of making a terroristic threat, endangering the welfare of a child, aggravated harassment and making a threat of mass harm, a New York City Police Department (NYPD) spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital.
The NYPD said it was reported to police on Thursday afternoon that Abdul “made a terroristic threat through social media” towards the Leon Goldstein High School for the Sciences, located in Manhattan Beach, within the confines of the 61st Precinct.
CUOMO SUPPORTERS LOOK TO WEALTHY ENCLAVE TO TAKE DOWN MAMDANI: REPORT
Iman Abdul, seen on left in a photo obtained by the NY Post, reportedly was a youth organizer for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. (NY Post/ Getty Images)
Iman Abdul, seen on left in a photo obtained by the NY Post, reportedly was a youth organizer for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. (Getty Images / Obtained by the NY Post)
The New York Post was first to report on the case. The outlet obtained screenshots of posts purportedly shared from Abdul’s since-deactivated Instagram account.
“If anyone needs a public school in NYC to attack for whatever reason… Lexus driving Israhell [sic] loving Zionisits [sic] all attend here,” Abdul allegedly wrote, sharing a screenshot from Google Maps of the high school’s location.
The group Stop Antisemitism and Jewish advocate Uri Cohen both posted Abdul’s photo and a screenshot of the post to X, demanding that she be prosecuted over the threats.
Online court records show Abdul was arraigned on one count of making a terroristic threat and one count of making a threat of mass harm, pleading not guilty.
“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,” Tova Plaut, a Department of Education pre-K staffer and Jewish activist, reportedly told 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., takes part in the New Queens Pride Parade in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York, on June 1, 2025. ( by Anthony Behar/Sipa USA)
MAMDANI’S FORMER INTERN CALLED ACTIVISM ‘JIHAD’ AND CONFRONTED POLICE OFFICERS AS ‘PIGS’
In a direct message to Stop Antisemitism, Abdul reportedly defended the post before her account was deactivated.
“I never called for an attack on the school in the sense of mass organization or not even individual people attacking individuals, that’s literally stupid,” she wrote, according to the Post. “I called for an attack on the school, the Zionist institution funded by our public dollars … we have every right to verbally attack the school.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office seeking more information on Sunday but did not immediately hear back.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., during 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 first to identify Abdul’s connection to Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign. According to the outlet, Abdul worked on the “Squad” member’s Democratic primary campaign in the summer of 2018. State Sen. Julia Salazar reportedly told the Post that Abdul also worked on Salazar’s campaign during that timeframe as a paid canvasser.
Reached by Fox News Digital, Abdul’s attorney, Geoffrey St. Andrew Stewart, declined to comment on the case.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign and congressional office but did not receive an immediate response.