Overview

• In June 2020, Mamdani posted a tweet showing him giving the middle finger to the Christopher Columbus statue in Astoria and calling for its removal.
• Italian American organizations including the Columbus Heritage Coalition and the Italian American Museum have condemned the gesture as an affront to their cultural heritage.
• Angelo Vivolo and Joseph Scelsa have pledged to withhold endorsements, warning the fallout could alienate roughly 8 percent of New York City’s voters.
• Mamdani’s campaign has not responded to requests for comment on the resurfaced post that threatens to complicate his mayoral bid.
• The backlash emerges as Mamdani gears up for a general election contest that may include Andrew Cuomo running independently, incumbent Eric Adams and GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa.