Mamdani pledges more gun control, justifies supporting 'defund the police' movement

Zohran Mamdani, the Socialist candidate for mayor of New York, held his first news conference Wednesday after returning from an 11-day vacation in Uganda. He did so amid a growing wave of questioning over his record against the New York Police Department (NYPD) and its belated response to the mass shooting that left four dead in Midtown, including Officer Didarul Islam.

Mamdani returned to the country nearly 48 hours after the attack and went directly to the home of the slain officer's family. He did so without issuing statements and surrounded by a team that blocked media access, claiming that there was no time. His visit lasted barely an hour and left more questions than answers, especially among members of the police force, who recalled his former calls to "defund the police."

"I am not defunding the police"

During the press conference, Mamdani attempted to soften the impact of his past messages, but without condemning them outright. He said his 2020 posts—including one that mocked a crying officer and another that openly called for cutting funding to the NYPD—were made "amidst a frustration that many New Yorkers held at the murder of George Floyd" and are "clearly out of step" with his current views. However, he avoided retracting or apologizing for them.

"I am not defunding the police; I am not running to defund the police," he declared. However, he reiterated that he considers adjusting the way authorities respond to an emergency.

"There is a need to ensure that every act we take is one that is actually delivering public safety. And what we see right now, especially with regard to how we respond to protest, is not in line with that," he said.

Gun control yes, crime control no

Like other Democrats, Mamdani blamed the attack on easy access to guns and repeated the call for a federal ban on assault rifles, aligning himself with Governor Kathy Hochul. However, he avoided presenting concrete proposals on how he would bolster security in New York beyond restricting weaponry.

"I echo the call from Governor Hochul for a nationwide ban on assault rifles," he said.

A delayed reaction

The lack of an immediate pronouncement contrasted with the response of other local politicians. While figures such as Mayor Eric Adams and ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo offered public statements about an hour after the attack, Mamdani took about 45 minutes longer to post his first message. In it, he called Officer Islam "in critical condition," despite the fact that his death had already been confirmed.

Public safety, a key issue in the campaign

The episode has brought the candidate's record on policing back to the center of the debate. Although Mamdani leads in the polls against other challengers such as Curtis Sliwa, Andrew Cuomo, and Eric Adams, public safety has cemented itself as one of the top issues in the mayoral race. Their past and recent stances continue to generate debate as the race progresses.