New York State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani has been subjected to a barrage of Islamophobic attacks and death threats following his victory in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor. The 33-year-old democratic socialist, who would become the first Muslim mayor of the city, has faced xenophobic rhetoric from prominent Republican figures and online activists.
Among the attacks, far-right activist Laura Loomer posted that 'there will be another 9/11 in NYC' under Mamdani's leadership. New York City councilwoman Vickie Paladino described him as a 'known jihadist terrorist' and called for his deportation despite his US citizenship. Former Trump administration officials, including Stephen Miller and Elise Stefanik, also joined in, with Stefanik branding Mamdani a 'Hamas terrorist sympathiser' in fundraising emails.
Donald Trump Jr. amplified a post comparing Mamdani to the 9/11 attacks, while Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene shared an AI-generated image of the Statue of Liberty in a burqa. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) noted that the volume of attacks is 'noteworthy' and mirrors common Islamophobic tropes portraying Muslims as a threat.
Mamdani has reported multiple death threats, including voicemails threatening to blow up his car. The NYPD's hate crimes taskforce is investigating. Mamdani, fighting back tears, said: 'I get messages that say the only good Muslim is a dead Muslim. I get threats on my life, on the people that I love.' His campaign has increased security in response.
