NYC Teacher Filmed at Protest Disrupting Oct. 7 Memorial

A public school teacher in New York City, Miah Kurcher, has been documented among anti-Israel protesters who disrupted a memorial ceremony for victims of the October 7th Hamas massacre. The incident occurred at Union Square in Manhattan during a remembrance event. During the protest, participants reportedly waved Hamas and Hezbollah flags and chanted calls for a global intifada.

Kurcher, a special education teacher in East Harlem, was filmed sitting with protesters who occupied seating designated for ceremony attendees, while their chants interfered with the reading of victims' names. Following the event, a formal complaint was filed against her with the New York State Department of Education. The complaint was lodged by Moshe Shafran, a Jewish activist and educator, who argued that Kurcher's actions create a hostile environment for Jewish students and staff at her school.

Shafran stated that the protesters took over seats intended for ceremony participants, including New York City Mayor Zohran Madani and former city official Brad Lander, thereby disrupting the event. Video evidence shows Kurcher among the protesters, with chants supporting Hamas and the perpetrators of the massacre audible. Shafran also noted that earlier the same day, Kurcher arrived at school wearing a keffiyeh, which he claims caused discomfort among students and staff, viewing it as an expression of political stance within a public school.

This is not the first time Kurcher has been linked to anti-Israel protests. Shafran claims she participated in demonstrations outside the Park East Synagogue in Manhattan in November 2025 and May 2026, where chants like "intifada revolution," "globalize the intifada," and "death to the IDF" were heard, and Jewish worshippers were allegedly prevented from entering. Shafran stated he had previously approached the Department of Education about the matter without a satisfactory response and is now demanding a formal investigation, asserting this is a pattern of behavior.

Kurcher had also participated in anti-Israel protests during her time at the University of Wisconsin. In 2024, she told CNN that she is Jewish and had studied Judaism in her childhood. Her involvement in protests has drawn criticism, with some opponents questioning her Jewish identity. Kurcher declined to comment on the allegations. Shafran emphasized that Jewish students and staff have the right to learn and work in a school that does not employ someone who participates in protests outside synagogues and then comes to school on the anniversary of the October 7th massacre wearing a political symbol.