Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for the post of New York City mayor, has faced a surge of racist and Islamophobic attacks since his decisive primary victory two weeks ago. If elected, he would become the city’s first Muslim mayor.
Mr Mamdani, 33, who was born in Uganda to Indian parents, has centred his campaign on tackling New York’s housing and transport crises while pledging to confront bigotry in all its forms.
The backlash has grown increasingly vitriolic, exposing the undercurrents of race, religion and identity in the city’s politics.
Right-wing commentators have seized on his immigrant background and faith to portray him as an outsider and a “threat”. They have increased efforts to depict his run as emblematic of what they view as the dangers of immigration and multiculturalism in America.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia posted an image of the Statue of Liberty wearing a burqa after Mr Mamdani’s primary win, writing: “This hits hard.”
White House adviser Stephen Miller called the race “the clearest warning yet of what happens to a society when it fails to control migration".
Texas Congressman Brandon Gill mocked Mr Mamdani for eating biryani with his hand, saying, “civilised people in America don’t eat like this".
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk invoked the September 11 attacks, describing Mr Mamdani as a “Muslim Maoist”, while US President Donald Trump called him a “communist” and threatened to deport him.
Even fellow Democrats have joined the attacks. New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand falsely accused Mr Mamdani of referring to “global jihad” during a radio interview. She later apologised for misrepresenting his remarks.
Days before the primary, Mr Mamdani drew criticism after declining to denounce the slogan “globalise the intifada” during an interview on podcast. A vocal critic of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories, he defended the phrase, describing it as, in his view, “a desperate cry for equality and justice in the fight for Palestinian human rights".
Mr Mamdani said the scale of hatred he has faced since entering the race has taken a personal toll.
“I get messages that say, 'the only good Muslim is a dead Muslim',” he said. “I get threats on my life, on the people that I love. My focus has always been on making this a city that’s affordable, on making this a city that every New Yorker sees themselves in.”
Mr Mamdani’s campaign has reported death threats against him, including voicemails threatening to blow up his car. One threat even made reference to explosive devices used in Israel’s strike on Hezbollah members in Lebanon.
Despite the backlash, Mr Mamdani’s supporters say his candidacy is resonating precisely because it challenges the forces of hate.
“Although not surprising, the barrage of anti-Muslim bigotry that exploded online following Mamdani’s victory is still shocking,” said one Arab-American New Yorker.
“Yes, anti-Semitism is a plague on our society, but so is Islamophobia and anti-immigrant hatred. Mamdani is standing against all forms of bigotry, not just anti-Semitism. That’s why I voted for him."
Still, his critics say Mr Mamdani's platform would burden New York’s already strained finances.
“As a person who has lived and paid taxes in New York City for decades, I am deeply concerned about the vibrancy of the city,” a Jewish New Yorker told The National.
“There’s no place for racism and bigotry, but there’s plenty to criticise Mr Mamdani and his agenda for. I don’t care if he’s black, orange, green, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu or an atheist. I think the platform he’s standing on is ridiculous.”
Maria Danzilo, a New York lawyer who ran for the state Senate in 2022, said she did not believe Mr Mamdani had been thoroughly vetted during the primary, in which only about 5 per cent of registered Democrats cast ballots.
“That’s a very small number,” she said, adding that she believes current Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent, could defeat Mr Mamdani in November.
