New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a longtime Arsenal supporter, wore a kurta in the team's colours on Wednesday as he marked Eid Al Adha with a message of solidarity and economic justice.
He attended an Eid celebration in the Bronx alongside Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, his democratic socialist ally, where he linked the themes of sacrifice and collective responsibility central to Eid Al Adha with the mounting financial pressures facing many New Yorkers.
“Together, we are working to ensure every New Yorker can afford the groceries, housing, and childcare they need,” he said.
Mr Mamdani is a passionate Arsenal fan and appeared at the event wearing an Emirates-branded kurta in the colours of the Premier League champions' away kit.
“Eid Al Adha reminds us that sacrifice is not a burden. It is an opportunity to see ourselves as part of something larger,” Mr Mamdani said in a post on social media. “To extend a hand to those who need it most.”
Mr Mamdani, a progressive Democrat who took office earlier this year as New York City’s Mayor, said he was “honoured to be New York City's first Muslim Mayor” and pledged to “lead through solidarity”.
He concluded his message with an appeal for unity in the country's largest city.
“Our solidarity is our strength,” he said. “Eid saeed, New York.”
