AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Zohran Mamdani, the mayor-elect of New York City, announced that confronting Islamophobia and racism targeting Palestinians will be one of his main priorities once he officially assumes office on 1 January 2026.
He stressed that hate speech and discriminatory behavior will be addressed swiftly and decisively, adding that the issue will feature prominently on his administration’s initial agenda.
In a post on the social media platform X, Mamdani wrote, “Addressing Islamophobia and discrimination against Palestinians will be among the first steps I pursue as mayor of New York City.” His remarks received wide media coverage and were viewed as a response to recent developments that have raised concern among US academic circles and human rights organizations.
The mayor-elect, who will succeed Eric Adams, emphasized that New York City will not tolerate any incitement to hatred based on religion or ethnicity. His comments came amid heightened tensions following a shooting attack on 13 December at Brown University in Providence, in which two people were killed and nine others wounded.
In the aftermath of the incident, some social media users, without presenting any evidence, accused a Palestinian student and circulated an old image of him wearing a keffiyeh, triggering a wave of verbal attacks. According to reports, the student has faced death threats and racist abuse despite the absence of any proof linking him to the attack.
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