Assemblymember Michael Novakhov Leads Successful Effort to Cancel Antisemitic Singer’s Brooklyn Concert

BROOKLYN, NY — In a major victory for Brooklyn’s Jewish community and for all those standing against antisemitism, Assemblymember Michael Novakhov successfully led a multi-front public campaign that resulted in the cancellation of a planned concert by Uzbek singer Yulduz Usmanova at the Oceana Theater in Brighton Beach.

The concert, originally scheduled for May 9th in the heart of one of New York’s largest Jewish communities, sparked outrage after renewed attention was brought to Usmanova’s past antisemitic remarks targeting Jewish people and the State of Israel.

At the center of the effort to stop the performance was Assemblymember Novakhov, who rapidly mobilized elected officials, community leaders, media outlets, and grassroots activists in what became one of the most visible local fights against antisemitism in recent memory.

“This was never about politics or censorship,” said Novakhov. “This was about drawing a clear moral line. Someone who publicly calls for suffering upon Jews and their descendants should not be welcomed into the heart of Brooklyn’s Jewish community for applause and celebration.”

Before the public press conference was even announced, Novakhov personally authored and circulated a bipartisan letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio requesting the revocation of Usmanova’s visa and urging federal authorities to review whether she should be permitted to enter the United States at all.

The letter quickly gained broad bipartisan support from Republican and Democratic elected officials serving in the New York State Assembly, New York State Senate, and the United States Congress — collectively representing approximately five million New Yorkers.

Central to the letter were translated excerpts of Usmanova’s own remarks, including the statement: “Пусть Всевышний сыплет на ваши головы, евреи, все невзгоды! Пусть все ужасы продолжаются на всех ваших потомках, следующих поколениях. Запомните это, евреи!” — translated into English as: “May the Almighty rain all misfortunes upon your heads, Jews! May all horrors continue upon all your descendants and future generations. Remember this, Jews!”

The remarks were widely condemned by elected officials and community leaders as vile antisemitic rhetoric targeting Jewish people collectively.

Following the letter, Novakhov organized and participated in a major press conference outside the Oceana Theater alongside fellow elected officials, including Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, calling public attention to the issue and demanding immediate action.

The campaign quickly gained momentum.

Community members across Brooklyn and beyond began sharing the story online, while local Jewish leaders, Holocaust survivors, activists, and residents voiced outrage that someone with such a record was scheduled to perform in the middle of Brooklyn’s Jewish community.

As pressure mounted and media coverage expanded, the Oceana Theater officially canceled the concert.

For many in the community, the cancellation represented far more than the loss of a single performance. It was viewed as a powerful statement that antisemitism — especially rhetoric targeting Jews collectively — would not be normalized or ignored in New York City.

Community leaders credited Novakhov’s leadership as the decisive factor that transformed public outrage into concrete action.

“Michael Novakhov moved mountains on this issue,” said one local activist involved in the campaign. “He did not stay silent. He acted immediately, rallied people together, brought major attention to the issue, and ultimately got results. That takes courage.”

Following the cancellation in Brooklyn, Novakhov expanded the effort nationally by launching a public petition campaign calling for the cancellation of Usmanova’s scheduled performance at the Trump-Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

In addition, the Assemblymember authored and sent another formal letter directed to President Donald Trump and the Board of Trustees of the Trump-Kennedy Center, urging them to immediately cancel the performance and arguing that President Trump’s name should not be associated with an individual accused of making vile antisemitic remarks.

The effort has continued gaining support online, with thousands of people engaging with the campaign and signing onto the petition demanding action.

“This sends a message,” Novakhov said. “Brooklyn will not tolerate antisemitism. Our Jewish community will not be intimidated, and we will never stay silent when hatred is directed at our people.”

The successful cancellation has since become a major topic of discussion throughout Brooklyn’s Jewish community and among advocates fighting rising antisemitism across New York and the country.