7 months ago
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Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, pledged Friday (October 24, 2025) to further clasp his Muslim individuality successful effect to increasing attacks by erstwhile Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his surrogates that helium characterized arsenic “racist and baseless.”
Encircled by religion leaders extracurricular a Bronx mosque, Mr. Mamdani spoke successful affectional presumption astir the “indignities” agelong faced by the city’s Muslim population, choking backmost tears arsenic helium described his aunt’s determination not to thrust the subway aft the Sept. 11 attacks due to the fact that she didn't consciousness harmless being seen successful a spiritual caput covering.
He recounted how, erstwhile helium archetypal entered politics, an uncle mildly suggested helium support his religion to himself.
“These are lessons that truthful galore Muslim New Yorkers person been taught,” Mr. Mamdani said. “And implicit these past fewer days, these lessons person go the closing messages of Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa and Eric Adams.”
Throughout the race, Mr. Mamdani, a 34-year-old antiauthoritarian socialist and staunch professional of Israel, has been accused by Cuomo arsenic others of extremist beliefs.
But those attacks person amped up successful caller days, drafting allegations from immoderate Democrats that Mr. Cuomo’s run is leaning into Islamophobia successful the last agelong of the campaign.
Appearing connected a blimpish vigor presumption Thursday, Mr. Cuomo appeared to laughter on astatine the host’s proposition that Mr. Mamdani would “be cheering” different 9/11 attack. “That’s different problem,” Mr. Cuomo replied.
Hours later, astatine an lawsuit endorsing the erstwhile governor, Mayor Eric Adams invoked the anticipation of violent attacks successful New York City, seeming to suggest — without mentation — they would beryllium much apt nether a Mamdani administration.
“New York can’t beryllium Europe. I don’t cognize what is incorrect with people,” Mr. Adams said, lasting alongside Cuomo. “You spot what’s playing retired successful different countries due to the fact that of Islamic extremism.”
At a statement earlier this week, Sliwa, the Republican candidate, falsely smeared Mr. Mamdani arsenic a protagonist of “global jihad.”
Messages near with Mr. Adams' and Sliwa's run were not instantly returned. A spokesperson for Mr. Cuomo, Rich Azzopardi, said the erstwhile politician did not hold with the vigor host's comments.
While Mr. Mamdani alluded to the caller attacks connected Friday, helium aimed his code astatine his chap Muslim New Yorkers.
“The imagination of each Muslim is simply to beryllium treated the aforesaid arsenic immoderate different New Yorker,” helium said. “And yet for excessively agelong we person been told to inquire for little than that, and to beryllium satisfied with immoderate small we receive."
“No more,” helium said.
To that end, Mr. Mamdani said helium would further clasp his Muslim identity, a determination helium said helium consciously avoided astatine the commencement of his campaign.
“I thought that if I behaved good enough, oregon spot my lingua capable successful the look of racist, baseless attacks, each portion returning backmost to my cardinal message, it would let maine to beryllium much than conscionable my faith,” Mr. Mamdani said. “I was wrong. No magnitude of redirection is ever enough.”
He continued: “I volition not alteration who I am, however I eat, for the religion that I’m arrogant to telephone my own. But determination is 1 happening that I volition change. I volition nary longer look for myself successful the shadows. I volition find myself successful the light.”
Mr. Mamdani, who won the superior successful stunning fashion, has faced skepticism from immoderate successful the Democratic establishment, peculiarly implicit his disapproval of Israel, which helium has accused of committing genocide successful Gaza. On Friday, Mamdani earned the endorsement of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
