A prominent Palestinian activist in New York City now wants to ban dogs from living indoors because they violate Islamic principles, raising questions about how far cultural demands should reshape American urban life.
Story Snapshot
- Nerdeen Kiswani, founder of Within Our Lifetime, declared dogs “unclean” and unsuitable as indoor pets in New York City
- Kiswani faces a March 2025 lawsuit alleging she aided and abetted Hamas terrorism through her activist organization
- The NYPD has spent over $50 million in overtime since October 2023 managing protests linked to groups like hers
- Her statement sparked backlash on social media, with New Yorkers defending their right to keep pets
The Woman Behind the Controversy
Nerdeen Kiswani founded Within Our Lifetime, an anti-Israel activist group that has disrupted New York City since 2016. She participated in NYC City Council meeting disruptions opposing anti-BDS legislation that year, marking the beginning of her visibility in pro-Palestinian activism. By 2021, she joined protests targeting Jewish board members at the Museum of Modern Art and attended a rally where American and Israeli flags were burned. Israel banned her from entering the country indefinitely in May 2021, cementing her status as a controversial figure in Middle Eastern geopolitics.
From Campus Encampments to Legal Battles
Kiswani participated in the pro-Hamas encampment at Columbia University in April 2024, part of a broader wave of campus activism that universities struggled to manage. Three months earlier, police arrested her at a WOL rally titled “Flood AIPAC, Elbit and Friends of the IDF for Gaza” in New York City. Israeli citizens filed a lawsuit against her in March 2025 as head of WOL, along with representatives from Students for Justice in Palestine at Columbia and related groups, alleging they aided Hamas terrorism. The legal challenge represents the most serious consequence her activism has faced.
Nerdeen Kiswani is a terrorist living in America. She is one of the most disgusting, pathetic human beings I've ever seen. She has been relentlessly calling for the killing of Jews and the complete abolition of the state of Israel.pic.twitter.com/gubJJSYYTF
— Vivid.🇮🇱 (@VividProwess) February 13, 2026
The Dogs Statement That Sparked Outrage
Kiswani posted on X that dogs are “unclean” and have “a place in society” but “not as indoor pets,” appearing to call for banning them from New York City homes. The statement drew from Islamic teachings about ritual purity, which some interpretations suggest dogs should remain outdoors. Social media erupted with criticism, as New Yorkers defended their beloved pets and questioned whether religious views should dictate municipal policy. The controversy highlighted tensions between accommodating diverse religious perspectives and preserving established American cultural practices that most residents cherish.
The Financial Cost of Activism
The NYPD estimated spending over $50 million on overtime since October 7, 2023, partly managing illegal protests and demonstrations connected to groups like Within Our Lifetime. WOL coordinated with other activist organizations, including Decolonize This Place, to organize protests across the city that required significant police resources. Universities that passed BDS resolutions saw marked increases in anti-Semitic incidents on campus, according to documentation. The financial and social costs of this activism wave extended far beyond simple free speech exercises, straining municipal budgets and community relations.
When Cultural Demands Override Common Sense
The dog ban proposal epitomizes a troubling trend where activists demand that host societies abandon their customs to accommodate imported religious preferences. Americans have welcomed dogs as family members for generations, with 38 percent of U.S. households owning dogs according to pet industry statistics. Suggesting New Yorkers abandon their companions because one religious interpretation finds them impure disregards the principle that immigrants adapt to American culture, not the reverse. The statement reveals an authoritarian impulse lurking beneath activism rhetoric, where personal religious views become mandates for everyone else’s private lives and homes.
BREAKING: The leader of the pro-Palestinian movement and protests in New York, Nerdeen Kiswani, is now calling for a ban on dogs as pets in the city. Dogs are considered haram in Islam.
Who knew that Mamdani winning the election would embolden all the extremists? pic.twitter.com/Eh3F3BmU5e
— Dr. Maalouf (@realMaalouf) February 13, 2026
Kiswani’s activism record includes participation in events targeting Jewish individuals and institutions, flag burning, and organizing protests that cost taxpayers millions in police overtime. Her dog statement, while seemingly minor compared to her other activities, demonstrates the same pattern of demanding societal transformation to match her ideological preferences. Whether banning dogs or supporting organizations linked to terrorism, the thread connecting these positions is a rejection of American values and norms that most citizens hold dear and refuse to surrender.
Sources:
Canary Mission – Nerdeen Kiswani Profile
ABD Post – Activist calls for dogs to be banned as indoor pets in NYC
City Journal – Pro-Palestinian Protestors Intifadah Anti-American