Amidst the ongoing discussion and controversy surrounding New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s stated intention to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit the city, a rumor has emerged on social media. This rumor suggests that figure skater Alysa Liu shared Mamdani’s call for Netanyahu’s arrest. An examination of the claim is warranted.
The assertion gaining traction indicates that Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu reposted a video on her Instagram story featuring Mayor Mamdani urging federal action to arrest Netanyahu. This claim has circulated widely across platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, and X, attracting significant attention and eliciting a range of reactions online. While some users have expressed disapproval of Liu’s alleged online activity, others have voiced their support. A portion of online commentators have also expressed skepticism, seeking concrete evidence of Liu sharing such content.
Verification of the claim that Liu posted the video on her Instagram story has proven difficult. Instagram stories are ephemeral, lasting only 24 hours, and their archives are typically accessible only to the account holder. Consequently, the veracity of this specific claim remains unconfirmed.
However, it has been established that Liu’s official Instagram account, @alysaxliu, did “like” a post by Mayor Mamdani, suggesting an alignment with the mayor’s sentiment. In the past, Liu has reportedly shared content related to the conflict in Gaza, including posts that conveyed messages about the humanitarian situation there and appeared to be from protest events.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s position regarding the International Criminal Court (ICC) has drawn considerable attention. He has publicly stated his intention to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in accordance with the ICC warrant, should Netanyahu visit New York City. Mamdani released a video detailing his administration’s review of legal avenues for enforcing an ICC arrest warrant within New York City, concluding that such direct action was not feasible. He has also called for the federal government to align with the ICC and execute the warrant.
It is important to note that the United States is not a member of the ICC and is therefore not bound by its arrest warrants. Former President Donald Trump previously imposed sanctions on the ICC, deeming its actions against the US and Israel as “illegitimate and baseless.” Trump has also asserted that “Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America.”
Reference