New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander abruptly left a campaign event on Saturday after a group of climate activists disrupted the forum, chanting slogans and confronting him over his stance on fossil fuel investments.
The incident occurred during a town hall hosted by climate advocacy group TREEage, where Lander was discussing the city’s budget. Midway through his remarks, a group of demonstrators stormed the stage, holding up a banner that read “BlackRock Brad” in reference to the global asset management firm.
Heated Exchange Leads to Walkout
Visibly frustrated by the interruption, Lander addressed the event’s moderator before making an abrupt exit.
“You assured me this wouldn’t happen. If this is how it’s going to be, I won’t come back,” Lander said before walking out.
As he left, members of the audience and protesters jeered at him, with some shouting insults and accusing him of avoiding tough questions. The activists continued chanting slogans like “Divest from BlackRock” and “Off fossil fuels, Brad” as security escorted them out.
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Activists Target Lander’s Financial Policies
Lander, as the city’s chief financial officer, has faced growing pressure from environmental activists who have criticized his approach to managing New York’s pension funds. Protesters have urged him to cut financial ties with BlackRock and redirect investments into more sustainable and climate-friendly initiatives.
Despite the disruption, Lander later returned to the stage and resumed his speech, shifting focus to his criticism of Mayor Eric Adams’ budget policies.
“We need honesty in budgeting,” Lander said, accusing Adams of misrepresenting city spending on homelessness, asylum seekers, and police overtime. “Right now, we’re dealing with shameless budget scapegoating.”
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Other mayoral candidates, including Michael Blake, Zohran Mamdani, Zellnor Myrie, Jessica Ramos, and Whitney Tilson, also attended the event. TREEage, the organization that hosted the forum, has yet to comment on the disruption.
Lander has not publicly responded to the protestors’ demands, but the incident underscores the mounting tension between city leaders and climate advocates over New York’s financial commitments and environmental policies .
