Zohran Mamdani, 34, was sworn in as mayor of New York City on Thursday, becoming the first Muslim mayor in the metropolis’s history. During a ceremony held on the steps of Manhattan City Hall, Mamdani promised a “future for Palestinians here, because New York must be a city of hope and justice for all.”
Mandari, a member of the Democratic Party and identified as a democratic socialist, placed his hand on the Holy Quran as he took the oath of office, in a historic event attended by figures such as actress Susan Sarandon, former presidential candidate Cynthia Nixon, and Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent figure in the Columbia University protests against the Israeli offensive in Gaza.
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Zohran Mamdani Vows a New Era for New York City
The new mayor signed his first executive order revoking a series of decrees issued by his predecessor, Eric Adams, including the ban on boycotting Israel that had been in place since February 2024. He also reversed the city’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James officiated part of the ceremony, while Senator Bernie Sanders administered the oath of office at the public event, which was attended by a large crowd of supporters. Palestinian flags waved alongside signs bearing slogans such as “Free Palestine,” reflecting the new mayor’s commitment to the Palestinian cause.
🚨 BREAKING: Mayor Mamdani says that he will keep open the recently-created Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism.
“That is an issue that we take very seriously, and as part of the commitment that we’ve made to Jewish New Yorkers, to not only protect them, but to celebrate…” pic.twitter.com/jjub9FKU4z
— Jacob N. Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) January 1, 2026
Mamdani has described the Israeli offensive in Gaza as “genocide” and has stated his support for complying with any arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “If Netanyahu enters New York and I don’t do everything I can to stop him, I won’t consider myself mayor of New York,” he told local ABC News last November.
In his inaugural address, Mamdani also emphasized the urgency of addressing the city’s high cost-of-living crisis and promised to govern with bold and sweeping public policies. “We will begin today to govern expansively and boldly, unafraid to face the challenges,” he told the attendees.
#UnitedStates | The new Mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, in his speech after declaring victory in the 2025 elections, stated that he had overthrown a political system and that working hands are not the hands that usually choose power, but against all odds, he won. pic.twitter.com/DG6mmWhqKl
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) November 5, 2025
His election in November 2025 marked a record voter turnout, solidifying a progressive momentum in one of the world’s most diverse cities. With this swearing-in, Mamdani not only represents a milestone in the religious and cultural diversity of American politics, but also emerges as a key figure in the debate on civil rights, social justice, and foreign policy in the United States.
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.