Mamdani, in emotional speech, decries Islamophobia in New York City mayor's race

New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani got emotional Friday as he pushed back on what he said were anti-Islamic comments being made to attack his campaign.

The state assemblyman, who would be the city's first Muslim mayor if elected, joined Muslim groups at a Bronx mosque to speak out against controversial statements made by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams -- remarks he said centered on his Muslim faith with thinly veiled references to Sept. 11 and Islamic extremism.

Mamdani spoke about the struggles he said he and other New York Muslims have experienced dealing with discrimination.

"Growing up in the shadow of 9/11, I have known what it means to live with an undercurrent of suspicion in this city. I will always remember the disdain that I faced. The way that my name could immediately become 'Mohammed' and how I could return to my city only to be asked in a double-mirrored room in the airport if I had any plan of attacking it," he said.

Cuomo, 67, had taken a shot at the 34-year-old assemblyman during an interview that aired Thursday morning with conservative radio host Sid Rosenberg.

"God forbid, another 9/11 -- can you imagine Mamdani in the seat?" Cuomo said.

"I could -- he'd be cheering," Rosenberg replied.

Cuomo responded, seemingly chuckling, "Another problem."

Later in the day, he told reporters he was referring to Hasan Piker, an influencer his campaign said supported Mamdani and had said in 2019 that "America deserved 9/11." Piker later said his remarks were inappropriate and meant to be satire.

Mamdani appeared as a guest on Piker's show, and condemned Piker's 9/11 comments as "reprehensible."

Adams, who bowed out of the race this month after his federal indictment on bribery charges, also made controversial statements during his first news conference with Cuomo, whom Adams endorsed, on Thursday.

Adams brought up "Islamic extremists ... that are destroying communities in Germany, that have taken over logical thinking."

"New York can't be Europe, folks. I don't know what is wrong with people," he said.

Both Adams and Cuomo have argued Mamdani is antisemitic because of his comments opposing the Israeli government and calling its attacks against Palestine a "genocide." Mamdani has also declined to support Israel’s existence as a Jewish state, although he has said he supports Israel’s right to exist as a state.

Mamdani has maintained he supports Jewish New Yorkers and vowed to protect them from discrimination.

At his news conference, he spoke about what he called a wider problem of racism in the campaign.

"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. In the era of ever diminishing bipartisanship, it seems like Islamophobia has emerged as one of the areas of agreement," Mamdani said.

The assemblyman said he did not want to address his opponents' comments further but to "use this moment to speak to the Muslims in New York City."

"The consequences amidst this inaction are stark. More than 1 million Muslims in this city, existing all while being made to feel as if we are guests in our own home. No more," he said.

Later Friday, Cuomo responded to Mamdani with a news conference of his own featuring other Muslim leaders.

The former governor argued that Mamdani himself is the divisive one and has himself been targeting New Yorkers. 

"Now look what he is doing is the oldest, dirtiest political trick in the book -- divide people," Cuomo said.

"It won't work. New Yorkers won't let you divide them. You can try to drive as many wedges as you want. It's not going to work. You know who uses that tactic? Donald Trump," he added.

Cuomo reiterated that he had taken the radio host’s remark on Thursday that Mamdani would cheer another 9/11 as a joke but acknowledged it was offensive.