El-Sayed Supporters Yell Disturbing Islamic Chant for Palestine

Supporters of Abdul El-Sayed celebrated his victory in Michigan’s U.S. Senate race by chanting “Free, free Palestine!” outside the election-night venue in Detroit. The chant began as attendees left the party after El-Sayed was declared the winner.

El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health official, defeated his Republican opponent in the midterm contest. His campaign had emphasized domestic issues including affordability. The post-victory chant focused instead on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Video posted by Fox News showed the crowd repeating the phrase spontaneously. The demonstration occurred in the early morning hours after results were clear. No other policy slogans were prominently reported from the same gathering.

Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist who has faced deportation proceedings, was present at the victory event. His appearance was noted on social media. El-Sayed has not issued a public statement addressing the chant or Khalil’s attendance.

In a pre-election “60 Minutes” interview, El-Sayed was asked whether Palestine has a right to exist and answered yes. When asked whether Israel has a right to exist, he began, “Uh, yes, IF there is a—” before the exchange was interrupted. He described the line of questioning as part of a problematic debate.

El-Sayed has also praised Osama Siblani, a figure who has referred to Hamas as “freedom fighters.” At one event he credited Siblani’s “leadership” and said “we stand on the shoulders of giants.” Those remarks circulated widely in the days before the election.

Critics, including Rep. Haley Stevens, have argued that El-Sayed’s focus lies more on shielding certain activists than on Michigan-specific concerns such as manufacturing and commerce. The victory-night chant has been cited as evidence of that priority. El-Sayed’s campaign maintained that he would represent the state’s interests.

The Senate seat gives El-Sayed a platform on foreign-policy questions even though his prior experience is in local public health. Supporters who chanted after the win treated the Palestinian issue as immediate. Domestic topics that featured in campaign advertising were not the subject of the reported celebration chants.

Khalil’s presence added to the attention. He has been a visible organizer in pro-Palestinian campus and street actions. His attendance at a Senate victory party placed him in proximity to the new senator-elect.

The “60 Minutes” exchange highlighted El-Sayed’s reluctance to give an unqualified affirmation of Israel’s right to exist in the same terms he used for Palestine. The partial answer fueled criticism that his position is conditional. The full interview segment has been clipped and shared extensively.

Siblani’s description of Hamas has been documented in prior public statements. El-Sayed’s decision to praise him drew objections from opponents who view the group as a terrorist organization. The comments were made at an event covered by attendees and later posted online.

Michigan’s economy includes significant automotive and industrial employment. El-Sayed’s health-department background does not include legislative experience on trade or manufacturing policy. The contrast between that record and the foreign-policy emphasis of the victory chant has been noted by commentators.

No police incidents were reported in connection with the chant outside the venue. The gathering remained a celebration that incorporated the political slogan. Organizers have not released a statement clarifying whether the chant was planned.

El-Sayed’s win occurred as part of broader Democratic gains in the midterms. His personal margin and the issues that motivated his voters have been analyzed separately from the national result. The Palestine chant has become one of the most circulated images from his election night.

Stevens and other critics have used the episode to question how El-Sayed will allocate his time and political capital once in office. They argue that Michigan constituents expect attention to jobs, costs, and local infrastructure. The senator-elect has not yet detailed his committee preferences or early legislative plans.

The presence of both the chant and Khalil has kept attention on El-Sayed’s associations. Opponents describe those associations as disqualifying or at least revealing. Supporters have characterized the criticism as an attempt to distract from domestic policy differences.

El-Sayed has not walked back the pre-election remarks about Siblani or the “60 Minutes” answers. Those statements remain part of the public record as he prepares to take office in January. How he addresses foreign-policy questions in the Senate will be watched closely.

The victory-night scene has been interpreted by critics as confirmation that a segment of El-Sayed’s coalition prioritizes the Palestinian cause above the issues featured in his campaign advertising. The chant itself was brief but widely recorded. Its repetition outside the venue made it one of the lasting images of the night.