Brad Lander is used to getting arrested. In 2015, Lander was detained during a protest in support of striking car wash workers. Two years later, Lander participated in an act of civil disobedience supporting the raise of the minimum wage in New York.

A day after the final debate​ in the Democratic primary race for NYC mayor​, Brad Lander and Zohran Mamdani cross-endorsed each other.

Mr. Lander, the New York City comptroller and a candidate for mayor, was handcuffed as he tried to steer a man past Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.