Decolonize This Place-linked protest sparks tension after Ocasio-Cortez’s vote on Israeli missile defense amendment
On a muggy Monday morning in the Bronx, red paint dripped down the front window of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s district office like a silent scream. The words slapped across the glass in crude black marker were blunt, angry, and accusatory: “AOC funds genocide in Gaza.”
It wasn’t the first time tensions over U.S. military aid to Israel had spilled into public protest. But this one felt personal — and it left New York’s most visible progressive lawmaker walking a political tightrope that’s only grown thinner since the Israel-Gaza war reignited.
AOC Targeted by Activists Over Missile Defense Vote
The protest wasn’t spontaneous. Photos posted by the leftist protest collective Decolonize This Place showed the damage in vivid detail: crimson paint smeared across signage, leaflets scattered nearby, and a printed message taped to the wall — the kind that reads more like an indictment than a flyer.
According to the group, the act was carried out by an anonymous offshoot calling itself the “Boogie Down Liberation Front.” That name — previously unheard of in activist circles — seemed more symbolic than organizational.
Their statement, obtained by independent journalist Ashoka Jegroo, didn’t mince words. It accused Ocasio-Cortez and fellow Bronx Democrat Ritchie Torres of “using us as a stepping stone for their own political careers” while aligning with U.S. policies they claim aid Israeli military operations in Gaza.
New York City police later confirmed the office had indeed been vandalized. But as of Monday night, no arrests had been made.
Not the First Office Hit, but This One Hit Different
This wasn’t an isolated act. Over the past several months, as Israel’s war in Gaza intensified and death tolls mounted, a string of local politicians — from council members to congressional delegates — have seen their offices defaced or occupied by protesters opposing U.S. aid to Israel.
But this was AOC.
A national progressive icon. A face on magazine covers. A frequent voice on MSNBC. And also, for many young left-wing organizers, someone who should know better.
That’s what makes this incident sting, according to David Velasquez, a community organizer in Mott Haven.
“She made her name calling out injustice, calling out money in politics, calling out war,” he said. “But when push came to shove, she voted to protect military funding for Israel. People feel betrayed.”
AOC Responds, Reiterates Opposition to U.S. Arms for Israel
Ocasio-Cortez didn’t stay silent for long. Speaking on social media hours after the photos circulated, she defended her vote last month against a Republican-led amendment that sought to cut off U.S. support for Israel’s Iron Dome and other missile defense programs.
That vote, which passed with bipartisan support, came in the thick of ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas — a time when Israeli airstrikes on Gaza had reportedly killed hundreds, including dozens of children.
“The amendment was cynical and designed to torpedo ceasefire efforts,” AOC said in a post on X. “But let me be clear: I will keep pushing to cut the flow of U.S. munitions that are being used to perpetuate the genocide.”
Her words drew both praise and scorn — a pattern that’s become familiar since October 2023, when the war in Gaza began. Progressive allies see her as one of the few Democrats willing to call Israeli actions “genocidal.” Critics, including some on the far left, accuse her of playing both sides.
Behind the Red Paint: Who Is Decolonize This Place?
Decolonize This Place isn’t new to New York’s activist scene. The group emerged years ago, staging museum protests over colonial artifacts and organizing solidarity marches for Palestinian rights.
Their tactics are unapologetically confrontational. In 2020, they helped coordinate subway fare evasion protests. In 2021, they shut down major bridges during rallies against police brutality. And in 2023, they rallied students to occupy City College buildings in protest of Israel’s bombing campaigns.
But this week’s act — if truly carried out by an anonymous cell — signals a shift.
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It’s not just museums or universities anymore.
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It’s progressive politicians getting called out by the very activists who once praised them.
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And the message is crystal clear: moral clarity on Gaza isn’t optional.
One longtime protester, who asked not to be named, put it bluntly: “If AOC can’t draw a red line on this, who can?”
Voters Caught Between Identity, Values, and Policy
In her district — one of the most diverse in the country — opinions about Israel and Gaza are anything but uniform. The Bronx is home to large populations of Latinos, Bangladeshis, Yemenis, Jews, and West Africans. That mosaic makes any hardline stance risky.
“I voted for her twice, but I don’t agree with everything she says about Gaza,” said Angela R., a Puerto Rican grandmother outside a grocery store on E. 138th Street. “Still, vandalizing her office? That’s not how we do things here.”
Others felt differently.
“She’s not just a politician. She’s a symbol,” said Mohammed Q., a Yemeni-American bodega owner in Hunts Point. “And when she supports weapons for Israel, she loses her moral right to that symbol.”
The Broader Tension in the Democratic Party
Zooming out, the incident highlights a broader split in the Democratic Party that’s been growing since last year’s war. On one side are moderates and older Democrats who continue to frame U.S.-Israel ties as sacrosanct. On the other are younger lawmakers and activists who see Israel’s bombing campaigns in Gaza as war crimes.
Here’s how some key Democrats have positioned themselves in recent months:
| Name | Position on Gaza Conflict | Stance on U.S. Military Aid to Israel |
|---|---|---|
| Rep. Ritchie Torres | Strongly pro-Israel | Voted to increase aid |
| Sen. Bernie Sanders | Criticized Israeli bombardment | Wants conditional aid |
| Rep. Jamaal Bowman | Opposed Israeli offensive actions | Faces pressure from both sides |
| Rep. AOC | Calls Gaza war “genocide” | Voted against missile defense cut |
This divide isn’t going away. And with elections looming in 2026, it’s already shaping primary challenges in several blue districts.
Where It’s All Headed Is Still Anyone’s Guess
Nobody’s claimed credit for organizing more attacks on political offices — yet. But the message left behind at AOC’s office may be a preview of more grassroots pressure to come.
Progressives like Ocasio-Cortez now face the strange paradox of being targeted by both conservative pro-Israel groups and radical anti-war activists. She’s threaded that needle for years — but it’s getting thinner by the day.
As the paint dries on her office walls, the question isn’t just whether the glass will get cleaned up. It’s whether the political wound underneath will keep bleeding.
