Zohran Mamdani dismisses condemnation of 'globalizing intifada' phrase, says NYC will remain a sanctuary city

The New York mayoral candidate for the Democratic Party Zohran Mamdani refused to condemn the phrase "globalizing intifada" calling for violent attacks on Jews.

During a interview on the NBC's Meet The Press, host Kristen Welker asked Mamdani why he did not condemn this anti-Semitic phrase, to which the Democratic candidate responded: "I don't think it's the mayor's role to police speech."

"That's not language that I use. The language that I use and the language that I will continue to use to lead the city is that which speaks clearly to my intent, which is an intent grounded in a belief in universal human rights," Mamdani said.

"Ultimately, that's what is the foundation of so much of my politics, the belief that freedom, justice and safety are things that have meaning, and have to be applied to all people, and that includes Israelis and Palestinians. I don't believe that the role of the mayor is to police speech," the Democratic candidate added.

A few days ago, during a interview with The Bulwark, Mamdani defined the phrase "globalizing the intifada" as "a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in defending Palestinian human rights."

NYC will remain a sanctuary city: "It has kept New Yorkers safe"

The interview not only focused on Mamdani's views on anti-Semitism and how he will manage it if he succeeds in becoming the next mayor of New York.

Welker asked him about how he intends to act against illegal immigration—an issue that has become a headache—for the city. Mamdani assured that New York would continue to be a sanctuary city, as it has been until now, and that he will fight against deportations carried out from the White House.

"Absolutely. Because ultimately, we’ve seen that this is a policy that has kept New Yorkers safe for decades. It’s a policy that had previously been defended by Democrats and Republicans alike until the fear-mongering of this current mayor. And it’s a policy that we’ve seen ensures that New Yorkers can get out of the shadows and into the full life of the city that they belong to. And it’s one that I will be proud to stand up for," said the radical candidate.

"We have to stand up and fight back, and we haven’t seen that from our current mayor, who has instead been working with the Trump administration to assist in their goal of building the single largest deportation force in American history. I mean, we saw ICE agents arrest a migrant at Federal Plaza. We saw NYPD officers arresting a pastor who was peacefully observing that arrest. Those days are going to come to an end when I’m the mayor," Mamdani said.

Mamdani: "I don't think we should have billionaires"

The populism in his speech was also seen when Welker questioned him about the existence of billionaires in the city. Mamdami said, "I don’t think that we should have billionaires because, frankly, it is so much money in a moment of such inequality, and ultimately, what we need more of is equality across our city and across our state and across our country."