Paterson, New Jersey, is called “Little Palestine” by its mayor, Andre Sayegh, due to its large Palestinian population, estimated at 10,000 to 15,000 residents, concentrated in the South Paterson area. This demographic stems from Arab immigration starting in the late 1800s which has grown significantly over time.
Sayegh has referred to Paterson as the “Capital of Palestine in the United States,” a label tied to actions like renaming part of Main Street “Palestine Way” in 2022 and holding annual Palestinian flag-raising ceremonies at City Hall. These moves have drawn attention and criticism, particularly as tensions over Middle East conflicts have escalated since 2023.
In the video below you can see a Paterson police officer wearing a Palestinian flag patch on his uniform instead of an American one. The footage shows the officer, speaking Arabic, prompting outrage online. Typically, U.S. police uniforms feature American flag patches, and no official statement from the Paterson Police Department or city government confirms a policy allowing Palestinian flags as a replacement.
Posts on X describe it as a sign of shifting loyalties, with some users tagging figures like Donald Trump and Pam Bondi to intervene.
ISLAMIFICATION: Paterson New Jersey is being called “Little Palestine” by its own mayor. The police wear Palestinian flags instead of American flags. pic.twitter.com/anm3n17icd
— @amuse (@amuse) March 22, 2025