Adams strongarms venue to cut anti-Israel singer

A pop singer, whose anti-Israel vitriol crossed even a Cornell University red line, was set to perform in New York City’s Central Park — until Mayor Eric Adams strongarmed the City Parks Foundation to pull her plug.

The foundation, a nonprofit that works with and receives funding from the city, canceled the June 26 Central Park concert that was to feature Kehlani Parrish, amid scrutiny from City Hall over the performer’s statements.

City Hall is grateful to the foundation “for responding to our concerns and canceling the Kehlani concert in Central Park,” a spokesman for Adams told JNS. “We look forward to an exciting lineup of other performances this summer.”

Last week, Cornell University canceled a performance by the singer after backlash over Kehlani’s history of anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric on social media and in the performer’s music.

The mayor’s office shared with JNS a May 5 letter that it sent to the foundation’s executive director, in which it told the nonprofit that hosting the anti-Israel singer could jeopardize its license to hold concerts.

“Gven the controversy surrounding Kehlani’s scheduled performance at Cornell University (causing university officials to cancel the appearance), the security precautions needed for an event like this in Central Park and the security demands throughout the city for other pride events during this same period of time,” Randy Mastro, the city’s first deputy mayor, wrote.

“If the foundation does not promptly take steps to ensure public safety, the city reserves all rights and remedies with respect to the foundation’s license,” Mastro wrote. “I therefore expect to hear back from you by close of business tomorrow whether we need to proceed with having the NYPD conduct this security assessment.”

City Parks Foundation told JNS on Monday that the concert was cancelled due to security concerns.

“We strongly and emphatically believe in artistic expression of all kinds,” the nonprofit told JNS. “However, the safety and security of our guests and artists is of the utmost importance.”

Rep. Ritchie Torres of the Bronx criticized the foundation and the mayor’s office on Friday.

“The Second Intifada, which [Kehlani] invokes, unleashed a wave of suicide bombings, shootings and stabbings that murdered more than 1,000 Israelis,” the pro-Israel congressman said.

The largest US city has no “business subsidizing or sanitizing antisemitism at taxpayer expense,” Torres added.

Adams wrote to Torres that the foundation is a private organization that receives City Council discretionary awards. “Our administration will not fund organizations that promote antisemitism or any other form of hate,” Adams wrote.