AOC’s Bronx Office Vandalized After She Votes for Iron Dome

Yesterday (Monday), the Bronx campaign office of U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) on Herschell Street in Westchester Square was vandalized with red paint splattered across its facade, windows, door, and security gate. A sign reading “AOC Funds Genocide in Gaza” was hung at the site.The incident, reported to the NYPD around 12:45 a.m., is under investigation with no arrests made. The NYPD is reviewing exterior and interior surveillance footage to identify the perpetrators.

A group called the Boogie Down Liberation Front claimed responsibility, posting on X that the vandalism was a protest against AOC’s vote against an amendment proposed by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to cut $500 million in U.S. aid for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. The group condemned AOC and Rep. Ritchie Torres, stating, “The Bronx stands with the Palestinian people and denounces the hypocrisy of AOC who voted to fund Israel’s ongoing genocide and starvation campaign in Gaza.”

The vandalism followed AOC’s vote on July 18, against Greene’s amendment to HR 8774, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for 2025, which was defeated 422-6. AOC explained on X that she opposed the amendment because it only targeted defensive systems like Iron Dome while failing to address offensive U.S. military aid to Israel, which she has publicly criticized. She wrote, “Marjorie Taylor Greene’s amendment does nothing to cut off offensive aid to Israel nor end the flow of US munitions being used in Gaza. Of course I voted against it.” Despite her vocal criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, including calling for a ceasefire and accusing Israel of genocide in March 2024, the vandalism reflects tensions within progressive circles over her stance.

AOC’s campaign manager, Oliver Hidalgo-Wohlleben, confirmed the incident and noted that the office had faced multiple threats in recent days, prompting heightened security measures. AOC canceled a planned appearance at a Queens press conference yesterday due to these concerns. Rep. Grace Meng, who attended the event, condemned the vandalism, stating, “It’s not okay to vandalize, and it’s not okay to make people feel like their lives are at risk.” Local resident Alice Solano expressed shock, calling the act “horrible.”

The incident has sparked varied reactions. Some X posts criticized AOC, with one user comparing the vandalism to “the man-eating plant” in *Little Shop of Horrors* turning on its feeder, while others, including progressive commentators, accused her of not being anti-Israel enough. Conversely, AOC defended her voting record on X, stating, “If you’re saying I voted for military funding, you are lying. Drag me for my positions all you want, but lying about them doesn’t make you part of the ‘left.’”

This vandalism follows a previous incident on September 20, 2024, when AOC’s Washington, D.C., office was targeted with “blood-splattered signs” accusing her of supporting terrorism after she questioned a pager attack against Hezbollah in Lebanon. The recurring targeting of her offices underscores the polarized reactions to her positions on Israel and Gaza.

Sources: NBC, CBS, Fox News