Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, stood exterior a mosque Friday and slammed unbiased candidate Andrew Cuomo for laughing at the suggestion Mamdani would cheer a terror assault.
“I will not change who I am, how I eat or the faith that I am proud to call my own,” mentioned Mamdani, who’s vying to turn out to be town’s first Muslim mayor.
Flanked by a crowd that included ladies sporting hijabs, Mamdani teared up as he talked about members of the family going through anti-Muslim prejudice rising up in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist assaults.
“I want to speak to the memory of my aunt who stopped taking the subway after September 11 because she did not feel safe in a hijab,” Mamdani mentioned, including: “I want to speak to the Muslim who works for our city, whether they teach in our schools, or walk the beat for the NYPD.”
Cuomo in latest days has skilled a highlight on Mamdani’s faith and immigrant upbringing, attempting to undercut Mamdani with individuals involved about his criticisms of Israel and whether or not he would battle antisemitism.
During an interview Thursday with radio host Sid Rosenberg, Cuomo mentioned, “God forbid, another 9/11. Can you imagine Mamdani in the seat?”
“He’d be cheering,” Rosenberg responded.
Cuomo paused and laughed, including, “That’s another problem.”
Also this week, Cuomo’s marketing campaign launched an unfinished model of an commercial, created with synthetic intelligence, mocking a 2023 interview with Mamdani in which he eats rice with his arms and talks about Palestinian rights, and that includes photos of criminals with a keffiyeh and a Palestinian flag.
A Cuomo spokesperson mentioned the video was inadvertently posted and deleted after 5 minutes.
The back-and-forth comes on the heels of the ultimate normal election debate earlier this week, throughout which Mamdani and Cuomo traded in-person accusations of antisemitism and bigotry.
“You’re the savior of the Jewish people? You won’t denounce ‘globalize the intifada,’ which means ‘Kill Jews,’” Cuomo mentioned, referencing the controversial phrase that Mamdani has discouraged using and noting that tons of of rabbis had signed a letter criticizing him. “There’s unprecedented fear in New York.”
Mamdani on Friday additionally criticized Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa for suggesting during Wednesday’s debate that Mamdani had praised “global jihad” – which Mamdani denies doing – and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who has endorsed Cuomo, for showing to counsel on Thursday that Mamdani’s election would usher in Islamic extremism to New York.
“I do not want to use this moment to speak to them any further,” Mamdani mentioned. “I want to use this moment to speak to the Muslims of New York City.”
The setting of Mamdani’s speech was quintessentially New York, exterior on a Bronx avenue with the sound of sirens and airplanes in the background in addition to a canine that barked by means of elements of Mamdani’s remarks.
The proprietor of the canine was a native resident who gave his first identify as Robert. He mentioned he was a Cuomo supporter.
“At least my dog is saying what people are saying,” he mentioned.