Heckled Ari Kagan at Campaign Kick Off: "We Need A Loud Voice in City Hall."

The Campaign for councilman Mike Nelson's seat in the newly drawn 48th council district, officially kicked off early March, with 45th Assembly District Leader Ari Kagan becoming the first candidate to officially throw his hat in the ring.

The event was delayed as a protester heckled the candidate for approximately 10 minutes at the start of the event, calling him a “foot soldier for the KGB," Sheepshead Bites reported. Local activist Zev Yourman emerged from the crowd just as the campaign announcement was set to kick off. Standing beside the elected officials supporting Kagan, Yourman attempted to seize the microphone, and began shouting that the candidate was a journalist trained at Lvov military academy in the Soviet Union, a school, Yourman said, that served as a training ground for the Soviet secret police, the KGB. “The purpose of a journalist in the Soviet Union was to disturb the people and to harass them. They were the foot soldiers of the KGB,” Yourman shouted. “Journalists conducted surveillance on the population to harass Jews and spread propaganda.”

Kagan was surrounded by a number of high-profile supporters, including Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny, State Senator Diane Savino and Assemblymen Maisel and Colton. Kings County Democratic Club Chair Frank Seddio also sent a representative to the event,  showing Kagan has obtained the county club’s support in the race.

“I’m running for City Council to serve, and because in a city that has become increasingly unaffordable for working families and young people and seniors – we need a voice in City Hall,” said Kagan. “Government is a force for good, but it can do a better job.”