A decision to invite New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to Manhattan’s annual Columbus Day Parade has sparked backlash among some Italian-American leaders. The Columbus Citizens Foundation, which is responsible for holding the parade, invited Mamdani in the hopes of fostering a better relationship between City Hall and the Italian-American community, the New York Post reported. Mamdani’s past criticism of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, however, has sparked backlash among Italians who feel inviting the mayor is in poor taste.
This is a WEAK and FECKLESS move by the organizers," Italian American Civil Rights League president Mike Crispi wrote on X. "Zohran has showed contempt for our people and kissing a** won’t change his true feelings. Italian Americans need to wake up and get tough.
It’s the only way to preserve our culture." Crispi’s criticism was a reference to a 2020 social media post where Mamdani posted a photo of himself brandishing his middle finger at a statue of Columbus with the caption "take it down." Columbus holds a near-legendary status among Italian Americans, with the 15th-century explorer viewed by many as a historic link between their heritage and the United States. 'DIE HARD' ACTOR ROBERT DAVI BLASTS MAMDANI AFTER NYC MAP OMITS LITTLE ITALY "We feel cooperating is always the better path . . . and we hope to create a good relationship with his office," Columbus Citizens Foundation president Christopher Loiacono told the New York Post when asked about his decision to invite Mamdani. "We hope he will be more open to [working] with the Italian community." It is unclear if Mamdani has accepted the invitation to the parade. Columbus Day falls on Monday, Oct. 12, with New York City’s annual Columbus Day Parade set for Manhattan.
"This is a man who has made it clear that he doesn’t respect Christopher Columbus, and he doesn’t even think us enough of a group to put on his immigrant enclave map," New York City Councilwoman Joann Ariola, a Republican from Queens, wrote in response. "Why would he want to be there? To get pictures and pretend he’s a paisan now?
He should sit this one out." MAMDANI WON'T ATTEND ISRAEL DAY PARADE, BREAKING DECADES-LONG MAYORAL TRADITION AMID ANTISEMITISM SURGE Ariola’s comment was an apparent reference to a map of ethnic enclaves published by the city earlier this year that excluded Little Italy, which also sparked backlash from Italians. The map was initially created by the previous administration in 2023, and Mamdani said his administration added several neighborhoods before releasing the 2026 version. Nonetheless, Mamdani has moved to update the map to include Little Italy.
A Columbus Day parade wouldn’t be the first public event Mamdani has attended this year to draw organized opposition to his presence. The mayor’s presence at the annual memorial service at Ground Zero on Sept. 11 spurred some family members of victims to circulate a petition demanding that he stay home. "Just as Mamdani's presence at the 9/11 Ceremony was inappropriate, we Italian/Americans don't want him on Columbus Day either," right-wing political operative Roger Stone wrote on X.
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