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New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani on Friday said he would no longer downplay his Muslim identity, following a series of attacks from former Governor Andrew Cuomo and his allies that he described as “racist and baseless.”

Standing outside a Bronx mosque, surrounded by imams and community leaders, the Democratic nominee grew emotional as he spoke of how Muslim New Yorkers have lived under fear and humiliation since 9/11, including members of his own family.

“My aunt stopped riding the subway after September 11 because she didn’t feel safe being seen in a headscarf,” Mamdani said, choking back tears. “These are lessons that so many Muslim New Yorkers have been taught. And over these last few days, those lessons have become the closing messages of Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa, and Eric Adams.”

‘No More’: Mamdani’s Emotional Rebuttal

Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and one of the most progressive candidates to emerge from the city’s Democratic primary, has often faced criticism for his positions on Israel and Palestine. But recent attacks from Cuomo’s camp and other rivals have drawn condemnation from Democrats, who accuse the former governor of leaning into Islamophobia, according to the Associated Press.

“The dream of every Muslim is simply to be treated the same as any other New Yorker,” Mamdani said. “For too long we’ve been told to ask for less and be satisfied with whatever little we receive. No more.”

He admitted that he had deliberately downplayed his faith early in his campaign, a decision he now regrets.

“I thought if I behaved well enough, or bit my tongue enough, I’d be seen as more than just my faith,” he said. “I was wrong. No amount of redirection is ever enough.”

“I will not change who I am or how I eat for the faith I’m proud to call my own,” Mamdani continued. “I will no longer look for myself in the shadows. I will find myself in the light.”

‘Racist And Baseless’: The Escalation

The controversy escalated after Cuomo appeared on a conservative radio show Thursday, where host Sid Rosenberg suggested Mamdani would “be cheering” another 9/11 attack. Cuomo responded, “That’s another problem,” and laughed.

Soon after, a Cuomo campaign account posted, and later deleted, a video showing Mamdani eating rice with his hands while labelling his supporters as criminals. A spokesperson claimed the video was uploaded in error.

At a separate event, Mayor Eric Adams, appearing alongside Cuomo, warned that “New York can’t be Europe,” and implied, without elaboration, that the city could face greater terror risks under Mamdani’s leadership.

Meanwhile, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa falsely accused Mamdani of supporting “global jihad” during a recent debate. When asked about the remarks on Friday, Cuomo dismissed allegations of Islamophobia, saying Mamdani was “playing the victim.”

“Don’t tell me New Yorkers are Islamophobic. They’re not,” Cuomo said. “What he is doing is the oldest, dirtiest political trick in the book: divide people.”

Political Crosscurrents

Mamdani’s rise in the polls has unsettled New York’s Democratic establishment. On Friday, he received a key endorsement from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, offering a significant boost to his campaign.

Cuomo, who resigned in 2021 following sexual harassment allegations, has sought to use his political comeback to cast Mamdani as divisive and dangerous. He accused the candidate of fuelling antisemitism, claiming Mamdani’s criticism of Israel had “made Jewish people afraid to leave their homes.”