Protest shuts down Israeli comedian’s NYC show

The NYPD assessed there was a public safety risk and an inability to maintain order, and then ordered the event canceled to prevent escalation.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli comedian and IDF reservist Guy Hochman was forced to cancel a scheduled performance Tuesday night in New York after a large, organized pro-Palestinian protest blocked the entrance to the Broadway Comedy Club.

Hochman described the scene in a blunt Instagram post, writing: “Those sons of b****es are blocking the entrance to the club, and the police decided not to approve holding the show.”

The NYPD arrived at the venue and assessed there was a public safety risk and an inability to maintain order. Police then ordered the event canceled to prevent escalation.

The New York cancellation followed a similar incident in Canada earlier this week, where Hochman faced an organized legal campaign ahead of a scheduled performance in Toronto. The Hind Rajab Foundation, an anti-Israel advocacy group based in Belgium, said it was seeking criminal action against him, accusing him of incitement and propaganda tied to the Gaza war.

Hochman was detained upon arrival at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport and was later released after intervention by the Israeli consulate. His show ultimately went ahead as planned.

On Tuesday, the group also urged U.S. authorities to investigate Hochman ahead of his New York appearance, claiming the scheduled performance “poses an imminent risk of further criminal conduct,” and citing U.S. federal statutes including the War Crimes Act and genocide statute.

After the cancellation, protest organizers celebrated online. “The wanted war criminal Guy Hochman was forced to cancel his show in New York because of protesters,” the Palestinian Youth Movement wrote, describing the disruption as a “victory.”

Despite the disruption, Hochman said his supporters still showed up and that he refused to back down.

In a Facebook post Wednesday morning, he wrote: “Last night, we arrived in ‘Mamdani City,’ and a pro-Palestinian protest blocked the entrance to the show. So my amazing audience got an outdoor special in minus 10 degrees. The production team and I are working on another show that could take place as soon as tomorrow. Continuing the journey — you, me, and the flag of all of us. They won’t wipe the smile off our faces. Am Yisrael Chai Tthe people of Israel live).”