Here's what Zohran Mamdani doesn't want you to know

As New York City approaches its mayoral election, one candidate, Zohran Kwame Mamdani, has emerged as a polarizing figure whose radical affiliations, inflammatory rhetoric, and troubling track record pose a significant danger to the safety and unity of the city’s diverse communities.

Mamdani, a 33-year-old New York State Assemblymember and Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member running in the Democratic primary, has built a campaign steeped in extremism, with ties to groups that endorse violence, promote antisemitism, and call for the destruction of Israel. His actions and associations, particularly in the wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, raise serious concerns about his fitness to lead America’s largest city.

Mamdani’s history is deeply intertwined with organizations that advocate for violence and destabilization. As a student at Bowdoin College, he co-founded a chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), a group notorious for its pro-Hamas stance and for fostering hostile environments for Jewish students on campuses. SJP’s “National Day of Resistance” following the October 7 Hamas attacks, praised the massacre as a “historic win” and called for “armed confrontation” against Israel. Mamdani’s early leadership in SJP reflects his alignment with its anti-Zionist agenda, which often crosses into antisemitism by denying Israel’s right to exist.

Mamdani has also participated in rallies organized by Within Our Lifetime (WOL), a New York-based pro-Palestinian group led by Nerdeen Kiswani, who has expressed support for Hamas and glorified violence against Jews. WOL’s rallies, including one on October 9, 2023, just days after the Hamas attacks, celebrated the “heroic Palestinian resistance” and called for the “full liberation of Palestine” by “any means necessary.” WOL’s rhetoric has incited clashes with police, with around two dozen arrests at a Brooklyn rally in 2023. Mamdani’s presence at these events signals his tacit endorsement of WOL’s violent tactics and anti-Israel extremism.

His ties to the DSA are extremely concerning. The New York DSA branch endorsed a 2023 rally that lauded Hamas’s actions, refusing to condemn the terrorist group and framing the attacks as “not unprovoked.” The DSA’s support for groups calling for Israel’s destruction aligns with Mamdani’s own activism, including his backing of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which many Jewish organizations view as an attack on Israel’s legitimacy.

Post-October 7 Rhetoric and Actions

The day after the October 7 Hamas massacre, Mamdani publicly called for Israel’s dismantling, condemning the Jewish state while ignoring the atrocities committed by Hamas, including the murder of civilians and the kidnapping of over 250 hostages. His remarks, made at a time of profound grief for Jewish communities worldwide, fueled antisemitic sentiment and emboldened pro-Hamas activists. This stance was echoed by his father, Mahmood Mamdani, a Columbia University professor, who has compared Israel to Nazi Germany and advocated for its dissolution, further contextualizing Zohran’s radical worldview.

Mamdani’s inflammatory rhetoric extends beyond Israel. He has blamed Israel for police brutality against African Americans. His refusal to sign a 2025 New York Assembly resolution condemning the Holocaust, coupled with his rejection of a resolution honoring Israel’s founding, show his unwillingness to stand against antisemitism, even in its most undeniable forms.

In 2021, Mamdani was arrested for disorderly conduct during a protest. His participation in Within Our Lifetime rallies, which have endorsed violence against police, further suggests a disregard for law enforcement and public safety. As mayor, Mamdani would oversee the NYPD, raising fears that his leadership could undermine policing efforts and embolden groups that seek to transform New York into a battleground.

A Threat to New York’s Jewish Community and Beyond

New York City is home to nearly one million Jews, the largest Jewish population outside Israel. Mamdani’s affiliations with groups like SJP and WOL, which have been linked to antisemitic incidents and hate crimes, pose a direct threat to this community. His campaign’s endorsement by figures like Jamaal Bowman, who denied Hamas’s October 7 rapes before retracting, and his alliances with activists like Linda Sarsour, a known antisemitic figure.

Moreover, Mamdani’s broader agenda, defunding the police, supporting policies that critics argue enable crime, and aligning with groups that glorify terrorism, endangers all New Yorkers. Posts on X have called him a “Jihadi” and an “affront to decency." One user warned, “NYC is toast if they elect this 32-year-old moron to run the biggest city in the US.”

New Yorkers deserve a mayor who unites communities, not one who sows division and aligns with terrorist sympathizers. As Assemblymember Sam Berger aptly put it, “If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.” Mamdani’s dangerous extremism must be rejected to protect the safety and future of New York City.