Zohran Mamdani delivered an emotional speech outside the Islamic Cultural Center of the Bronx, denouncing what he called “racist and baseless” attacks from his opponents
NEW DELHI —New York’s Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, With just days until New York City voters head to the polls, found himself at the centre of an increasingly heated and personal debate over faith, identity, and the boundaries of political discourse. He vowed to more openly embrace his Muslim identity, denouncing what he called “racist and baseless” attacks from former Governor Andrew Cuomo and his allies in the final weeks of New York City’s mayoral race.
On October 24, 2025, Mamdani delivered an emotional speech outside the Islamic Cultural Center of the Bronx, denouncing what he called “racist and baseless” attacks from his opponents—a moment that has come to symbolise a campaign season marked by both historic firsts and deep-seated tensions.
Encircled by faith leaders and supporters, Mamdani, who would become the city’s first Muslim mayor if elected, did not mince words. “To be Muslim in New York is to expect indignity, but indignity does not make us distinct. There are many New Yorkers who face it. It is the tolerance of that indignity that does,” he told the crowd, his voice at times choked with emotion.
He recounted the story of his aunt, who stopped riding the subway after September 11, 2001, fearing for her safety because she wore a hijab. He also recalled the advice of an uncle, who gently suggested he keep his faith to himself if he wanted to succeed in politics. “These are lessons that so many Muslim New Yorkers have been taught,” Mamdani said, according to the Associated Press.
The speech came just one day after a controversial radio exchange between former Governor Andrew Cuomo and conservative host Sid Rosenberg. Rosenberg mused, “God forbid, another 9/11—can you imagine Mamdani in the seat?” To which Cuomo replied, “That’s another problem,” reportedly laughing along.
The remarks drew swift condemnation from Muslim advocacy groups and Mamdani’s allies. Basim Elkarra, executive director of CAIR Action, called Cuomo’s participation “despicable, dangerous, and disqualifying,” as reported by Al Jazeera. “By agreeing with a racist radio host who suggested a Muslim elected official would ‘cheer’ another 9/11, Cuomo has crossed a moral line,” Elkarra said.
Mamdani’s opponents have not shied away from invoking his faith on the campaign trail. At a news conference endorsing Cuomo, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams—who withdrew from the race earlier this month following a federal bribery indictment—warned against “Islamic extremists … that are destroying communities in Germany, that have taken over logical thinking,” adding, “New York can’t be Europe, folks. I don’t know what is wrong with people.” Adams’ remarks, delivered alongside Cuomo, echoed a broader theme in the campaign: the suggestion that Mamdani’s background and political positions make him a risky choice for the city’s top job.
Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, meanwhile, falsely accused Mamdani during a recent debate of supporting “global jihad.” Mamdani, who has faced a barrage of attack ads from Super PACs implying he is a terrorist or mocking his cultural practices, said on Friday, “I have been slandered by Curtis Sliwa on the debate stage, when he claimed that I support global jihad, and I have faced advertisements … that imply that I am a terrorist, or mock the way I eat.” He also shared that a staff member had the word “terrorist” spray painted on their garage, underscoring the personal toll of the campaign’s rhetoric.
Throughout the race, Mamdani has also drawn fire for his outspoken criticism of Israeli government actions in Gaza. Both Cuomo and Adams have accused him of antisemitism, pointing to his refusal to support Israel as a Jewish state, though Mamdani has repeatedly affirmed Israel’s right to exist as a state and emphasised his commitment to protecting Jewish New Yorkers from discrimination.
At his Bronx speech, Mamdani insisted the attacks against him were part of a wider problem of racism and anti-Muslim sentiment in city politics. “The bigger question is whether we are willing to say goodbye to something much larger than either of these two,” he said of Adams and Cuomo. “It is whether we are willing to say goodbye to anti-Muslim sentiment that has grown so endemic in our city that when we hear it, we know not whether the words were spoken by a Republican or a Democrat—we know only that it was spoken the language and politics of the city.”
Cuomo, for his part, denied that Islamophobia is a widespread problem in New York, accusing Mamdani of “playing the victim” for political gain. “Now look what he is doing is the oldest, dirtiest political trick in the book—divide people,” Cuomo said at a news conference later that day, as reported by ABC News.
Despite the controversy, Mamdani’s campaign has gained momentum. On the same day as his Bronx speech, he received a high-profile endorsement from House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, joining a list of supporters that includes New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Senator Bernie Sanders. Yet, some establishment Democrats, such as Senator Chuck Schumer, have remained on the sidelines.
Mamdani’s victory in the June Democratic primary was resounding, and a recent poll from AARP and Gotham Polling and Analytics showed him leading with 43.2 per cent of the vote, ahead of Cuomo (28.9 percent) and Sliwa (19.4 percent), with 8.4 percent undecided or supporting other candidates. According to the poll, cost of living, public safety, and housing affordability are the top issues for nearly two-thirds of voters—issues Mamdani has tried to keep at the center of his campaign, despite the swirl of personal attacks. — Agencies
