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The socialist candidate for mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, made an effort on Wednesday to distance himself from his previous anti-police statements, a move that was met with skepticism by New York elected officials and a crime expert.
Mamdani has been a vocal critic of the New York Police Department, advocating for its defunding in 2020. He has also referred to the department as “racist” and called for the disbandment of the Strategic Response Group. In one social media post, Mamdani even commented “nature is healing” in response to a remark about a police officer in distress.
However, following a fatal shooting in midtown Manhattan that resulted in the death of an NYPD officer, Mamdani stated that his calls to defund the police were fueled by “frustration” over the death of George Floyd.
Despite his explanation, many in the community remain unconvinced that he has truly changed his stance towards the police, viewing his recent statements as politically motivated in light of the city’s recent tragedy.
Zohran Mamdani, the New York City Mayoral Candidate, addressing the media at 32BJ SEIU headquarters following a mass shooting in Manhattan that claimed the lives of an NYPD police officer and others in Manhattan, New York, United States on July 30, 2025. (Getty)
“Zohran ‘Nature Is Healing’ Mamdani’s press conference on Wednesday seemed like a calculated and obvious attempt at damage control in response to an incident that served as a grim reminder to New Yorkers of the daily risks faced by the men and women of the NYPD,” commented Rafael Mangual, senior fellow and head of research for policing and public safety at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research.
Mangual further elaborated that Mamdani’s attempts to clarify his past statements fell short.
“Even in the midst of the tragic circumstances surrounding the press conference, Mamdani hesitated to explicitly retract or apologize for his extensive history of anti-police remarks,” Mangual, who also wrote an article in the New York Post critiquing Mamdani’s press conference, added.
“He appeared defensive when questioned about his past statements, and even managed to reiterate his criticisms of the unit that responded to the recent mass shooting in Midtown. It will require more than a brief press conference to erase the image of Mamdani as an anti-police advocate that he has cultivated over the years.”
Republican Councilwoman Inna Vernikov of New York City, a vocal critic of Mamdani, expressed her doubts about Mamdani’s sincerity, stating that his press conference indicated a lack of respect for voters as he attempted to shift his position.
“After spending years denouncing the NYPD and promoting a radical agenda, he is now rushing to the middle because he has realized that this city supports our police force and does not want a socialist mayor,” Vernikov remarked. “No intelligent individual is buying into his narrative.”
New York Republican State Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz, a colleague of Mamdani’s, referred to Mamdani’s press conference as a “political performance.”
“Let’s not forget the past,” Blumencranz emphasized. “While police officers and innocent civilians were being killed in New York City, Zohran Mamdani was not even in the city – he was on a secure compound in Uganda. And now he’s back, portraying himself as pro-police for the cameras?”
NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani briefly speaks with reporters as he leaves the Dirksen Senate Office Building on July 16, 2025 in Washington, DC. Zohran met privately with Sanders after attending a breakfast event hosted by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) He is expected to meet House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who has yet to endorse later this week. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Blumencranz asserted that Mamdani, whom he referred to as an “absentee colleague,” has built his campaign on vilifying law enforcement, which has become his defining characteristic.
“He labeled the NYPD as ‘wicked and corrupt,’ advocated for its defunding and dismantlement, and pushed for the disbandment of the unit that responded to the shooting,” Blumencranz pointed out. “Now, after winning the primary and facing a tragedy, he expects voters to believe that his convictions were simply ‘out of step’? This is not growth – it’s a performance. New Yorkers, especially those mourning Officer Islam, deserve honesty, not opportunism disguised as change.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the Mamdani campaign for a response.
Mamdani attended the funeral of NYPD officer Didarul Islam on Thursday, who was killed in the shooting in midtown Manhattan.
Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and current NYC Mayor Eric Adams, who are both running as independents, also attended the funeral.
Republican candidate for New York City mayor, Curtis Sliwa, left center, greets New York Police Sgt. Errol Murphy outside the Parkchester Jame Masjid mosque before the funeral of officer Didular Islam, Thursday, July 31, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis ) (AP)
During the Wednesday press conference, Mamdani spoke fondly of Officer Islam, met with the officer’s family, and addressed questions about his previous stance on defunding the police.
“I am not campaigning to defund the police,” Mamdani clarified, presenting himself as “a candidate who is open to learning and evolving, focusing on the people who deserve attention.”
