New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander faced protests during a campaign event focused on climate change, leading him to storm out of the event in response to the disruption. The protesters held a sign calling him “Black Rock Brad” and chanted for him to divest the city’s funds from BlackRock, a major asset management firm, in favor of environmentally friendly organizations. Lander eventually returned to the event and criticized Mayor Eric Adams’ handling of the city’s budget, accusing him of dishonesty in budgeting for key issues like homelessness, asylum seekers, and NYPD overtime.
The disruption occurred during a mayoral town hall hosted by the climate advocacy group TREEage, where Lander was asked about the city’s budget. Demonstrators interrupted the event and confronted Lander on stage, prompting him to leave the auditorium. Audience members and protesters criticized Lander for leaving, accusing him of running away like a coward. The protesters urged Lander to end the city’s financial relationship with BlackRock and allocate the money towards environmentally friendly causes.
Lander has been a target of climate activists who have followed him to events and caused disruptions over his management of the city’s pension fund. The activists have been pushing Lander to divest city funds from BlackRock in an effort to combat climate change and promote sustainable investment practices. Despite the protests, Lander eventually returned to the event and continued to participate, criticizing Mayor Adams’ budget decisions and calling for more honesty in budgeting for critical city services.
In addition to Lander, other mayoral candidates including Michael Blake, Zohran Mamdani, Zellnor Myrie, Jessica Ramos, and Whitney Tilson were present at the event. The candidates discussed various issues related to the city’s budget and future policies, with Lander specifically focusing on the need for more transparency and honesty in budgeting for essential services. While the protest and disruption were a focal point of the event, the candidates also shared their views on important issues facing New York City and engaged in discussions with the audience about their proposals for addressing key challenges.
Despite the chaos and disruption caused by the protesters, Lander remained committed to engaging with the public and addressing the concerns raised during the event. While he initially left the stage in response to the protests, Lander eventually returned and continued his participation in the town hall. The incident highlighted the tensions surrounding climate change and financial investments in New York City, as well as the challenges faced by mayoral candidates in navigating public events and engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders on important policy issues.
