Zohran Mamdani's Controversial Tweets Shake Up NYC Mayoral Race
As Zohran Mamdani leads the Democratic party in the NYC mayoral race, old tweets questioning FBI tactics and disrespecting Italian American heritage have stirred controversy.
With the NYC mayoral race heating up, Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic frontrunner, faces backlash for old tweets. A 2015 tweet questioning FBI surveillance tactics on Anwar al-Awlaki, a US-born cleric connected to Al-Qaeda, has upset New Yorkers.
In a 2020 tweet, Mamdani was seen gesturing towards a Christopher Columbus statue, angering the Italian-American voter base. Many view Columbus as a symbol of their cultural heritage. Mamdani's actions have sparked condemnation from community leaders.
Italian American community representatives expressed their outrage over Mamdani's disrespect towards their heritage. Mamdani's past tweets on Anwar al-Awlaki have also elicited criticism from 9/11 victims' families and US anti-terror officials.
Retired Long Island Representative Peter King compared blaming the US for al-Awlaki to blaming Jews for Hitler. Mamdani's justifications and rationalizations of al-Awlaki's actions have been met with disbelief and condemnation.