Mamdani Faces Avalanche of Anti-Muslim Attacks After Historic NYC Primary Victory

Zohran Mamdani's stunning upset victory in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary on June 25, 2025, has unleashed a torrent of Islamophobic rhetoric from Republican lawmakers, right-wing influencers, and online extremists, with civil rights groups documenting at least 127 hate-related incidents targeting the 33-year-old democratic socialist in just 24 hours following his win over former Governor Andrew Cuomo.

A Historic Win Triggers Unprecedented Backlash

Zohran Mamdani, a Queens state assemblyman who would become New York City's first Muslim and Indian American mayor if elected in November, has found himself at the center of a coordinated campaign of religious discrimination following his primary victory. The attacks have ranged from death threats and 9/11 comparisons to demands for his deportation, despite his status as a naturalized U.S. citizen since 2018.

According to CAIR Action, an arm of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, there were at least 127 violent hate-related reports mentioning Mamdani or his campaign in the days after polls closed. This represents a five-fold increase over the daily average of such reports tracked earlier in the month, marking one of the most severe spikes in anti-Muslim political targeting in recent memory.

The scale of online harassment has been staggering, with approximately 6,200 posts containing Islamophobic slurs or hostility documented within a single day following his victory. About 62% of these anti-Muslim posts originated on X (formerly Twitter), according to CAIR Action's monitoring systems.

Congressional Republicans Lead the Charge

The attacks have not been limited to anonymous online trolls. Several prominent Republican members of Congress have actively participated in spreading anti-Muslim rhetoric targeting Mamdani's candidacy.

Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee has led perhaps the most extreme response, sending a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi demanding that Mamdani be stripped of his citizenship and deported. Ogles accused Mamdani of supporting terrorists, despite providing no evidence for these claims.

Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina shared a photo of Mamdani preparing for an Eid service while dressed in traditional attire, writing that "we sadly have forgotten" the September 11, 2001, attacks. This reference is particularly inflammatory given that Mamdani was only 9 years old and living in Manhattan when the attacks occurred.

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia shared a digitally altered image on social media showing the Statue of Liberty covered in a black burqa. The post was widely condemned as a blatant attempt to portray Muslim Americans as incompatible with American values.

"That's the decades-long pattern. What's changed in recent weeks is the involvement of mainstream figures who are employing some of the most abhorrent stereotypes," said a research advocacy director at the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Trump Administration Officials Join the Assault

Former President Trump's inner circle has also amplified the anti-Muslim messaging. Stephen Miller, the architect of Trump's immigration policies, characterized Mamdani's victory as "the clearest warning yet of what happens to a society when it fails to control migration".

Conservative media personality Laura Loomer wrote on social media that "New York City will be destroyed, Muslims will start committing jihad all over New York, and that NYC is about to see 9/11 2.0". She further described Mamdani as a "communist jihadi" in posts that were shared thousands of times across social platforms.

Charlie Kirk, head of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, sought to directly connect Mamdani to the September 11 attacks, stating: "24 years ago, a group of Muslims killed 2,753 individuals on 9/11. Now, a Muslim Socialist is set to lead New York City".

Democratic Senator's Controversial Comments

The attacks have not been limited to Republicans. Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York came under fire for suggesting that Mamdani had advocated for "global jihad" during a radio interview. Her communications director later acknowledged the statement was incorrect, leading to a public apology from the senator.

The incident has highlighted tensions within the Democratic Party over Mamdani's progressive positions, particularly regarding Middle East policy. During his campaign, Mamdani used the phrase "globalize the intifada," which he characterized as a call for peaceful resistance but which many interpreted differently.

"We didn't expect any pushback from Republicans at this stage. However, the lack of vocal support from Democrats for Mamdani is quite revealing," said Mussab Ali, a fellow Muslim Democratic candidate for mayor in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Targeting Religious Gatherings and Cultural Identity

The harassment has extended beyond political rhetoric to target Muslim religious and cultural practices. Right-wing influencers have circulated videos of traditional Eid celebrations at Washington Square Park, framing these peaceful religious gatherings as a threatening "invasion" linked to Mamdani's candidacy.

These videos, which show Muslim New Yorkers participating in routine holiday prayers that have occurred in the park for years, have been manipulated and presented as evidence of some broader conspiracy. The targeting of religious observance represents a particularly troubling escalation in the campaign against Mamdani.

"The level of fear-mongering is outrageous," said Asad Dandia, a local historian and activist supporting Mamdani's campaign. "Our community and leaders are aware that we are now under scrutiny".

Personal Toll on the Candidate

The intensity of the attacks has taken a visible personal toll on Mamdani himself. During a recent public appearance, he became emotional while discussing the hatred directed at him and his supporters.

"It pains me to be painted as if I'm somehow in opposition to the very Jewish New Yorkers that I know and love," Mamdani said, with tears coming to his eyes. "I get messages that say the only good Muslim is a dead Muslim. I get threats on my life—on the people that I love".

The threats have been serious enough to prompt increased security measures for the candidate and his campaign staff. The New York City Police Department's hate crime unit is currently investigating multiple threats directed at Mamdani, according to officials.

A Pattern of Anti-Muslim Political Targeting

Experts note that while attacks on Muslim political candidates are not new, the scale and mainstream nature of the current backlash represent a concerning escalation. The targeting of Mamdani fits within a broader pattern of discrimination that Muslim Americans have faced in political life since September 11, 2001.

However, recent years have seen signs of progress, with 2022 marking what many considered a breakthrough year for Muslim American political participation. An unprecedented wave of Muslim candidates won elections across the country, suggesting growing acceptance of Muslim Americans in positions of political leadership.

"The trend has been that more Muslims are stepping up for public service each year," noted one advocacy expert.

Mamdani's primary victory was initially seen as part of this positive trend. His successful campaign against the well-funded Cuomo, backed by a $25 million super PAC, demonstrated the power of grassroots organizing and progressive messaging in one of America's most diverse cities.

The Numbers Behind the Hatred

The statistical evidence of the backlash is overwhelming. CAIR Action's monitoring systems, which include automated scraping and analysis of online posts, public submissions, and law enforcement notifications, documented a dramatic spike in anti-Muslim content following Mamdani's victory.

The organization's data shows that beyond the 127 direct threats and hate incidents, thousands of additional posts employed anti-Muslim stereotypes, conspiracy theories, and inflammatory rhetoric targeting the candidate. The geographic spread of these attacks extends far beyond New York, indicating a coordinated national response to Mamdani's success.

The attacks have also had a broader chilling effect on Muslim American political participation. Community leaders report increased anxiety among potential candidates and activists who fear facing similar treatment if they seek public office.

Civil Rights Response and Calls for Action

Advocacy organizations have mobilized quickly to document and respond to the surge in anti-Muslim attacks. CAIR Action and other civil rights groups are calling for elected officials from both parties to condemn the rhetoric and take concrete steps to protect Muslim Americans' right to political participation.

"We call on public officials of every party — including those whose allies are amplifying these smears — to unequivocally condemn Islamophobia," said Basim Elkarra, executive director of CAIR Action.

The response from Democratic leadership has been mixed, with some officials strongly condemning the attacks. In contrast, others have remained silent or, in Gillibrand's case, initially contributed to the harmful rhetoric before apologizing.

Media Coverage and Platform Responsibility

The role of social media platforms, particularly X, in amplifying anti-Muslim content has come under increased scrutiny. With nearly two-thirds of the documented hate posts originating on X, critics argue that the platform's content moderation policies are inadequate to address coordinated harassment campaigns.

The mainstream media's coverage has generally been factual and condemnatory of the attacks, although some outlets have been criticized for platforming inflammatory rhetoric without sufficient context or pushback.

November Election and Beyond

As Mamdani prepares for the November general election, where he will face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams (now running as an independent), Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, and potentially Andrew Cuomo as an independent candidate, the attacks he has faced raise serious questions about the state of American democracy and religious tolerance.

The outcome of the New York City mayoral race will be closely watched as a barometer of whether voters will support a candidate who has been subjected to such intense religious discrimination. A victory for Mamdani would represent a significant milestone for Muslim American political representation, while a defeat could have a chilling effect on future Muslim candidates.

The situation also highlights broader challenges facing American democracy, including the normalization of hate speech in political discourse and the weaponization of religious identity for political gain. The response from political leaders, law enforcement, and civil society to these attacks will likely influence how similar situations are handled in the future.

As the nation continues to grapple with questions of religious tolerance, political polarization, and the rights of minority communities, Mamdani's experience serves as a stark reminder of how far the country still has to go in achieving the inclusive democracy that many Americans aspire to build. The coming months will test whether New York City's voters, and by extension the broader American electorate, will reject the politics of religious hatred in favor of substantive policy debates and inclusive governance.

The attacks on Mamdani represent more than just a local political controversy—they embody fundamental questions about American values, religious freedom, and the future of democratic participation in an increasingly diverse nation. How these questions are answered will have implications far beyond the borders of New York City.