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A resurfaced photo of New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani flipping off a statue of Christopher Columbus is sparking backlash online and with some members of the Italian-American community.
“Take it down,” Mamdani posted in June 2020, along with a photo showing what is presumably his gloved hand raising the middle finger toward a statue of the famed Italian explorer in Astoria, New York.
Some in the Italian community took offense to the post, according to a New York Post report, including Columbus Heritage Coalition President Angelo Vivolo.
“We will defend Columbus Day and Columbus statues,” Vivolo said.
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“He is being disrespectful to the Italian American community.” Vivolo added. “If you offend one community, you offend all communities.”
Joseph Scelsa, the founder and president of the Italian American Museum, suggested it is unwise for Mamdani to alienate Italians, who the New York Post reported make up 8% of the population of New York City.
“To eliminate such a large population of people would be a travesty,” Scelsa said. “It’s not inclusive. It’s exclusionary. Who’s to say who is a hero and who is not a hero? Columbus is our hero.”
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The backlash to the post could also be found coming from conservatives on social media.
“Not gonna happen,” actor Joe Piscopo posted on X.
“This guy needs to be stopped,” YouTuber Joey Salads posted on X.
“The most defining characteristic of the left is ingratitude,” journalist Megan Basham posted on X.
“He disrespects the critical role Italians and Catholics played in the founding of our nation,” former Trump official Ezra A. Cohen posted on X. “Shameful.”
“What a disgusting socialist,” Florida GOP Chair Evan Power posted on X.
“so u can be a nepo baby anchor baby who’s never had a job in your life and potentially become mayor of America’s largest city simply on the force of hating white people hard enough,” Foundation for Freedom Online executive director Mike Benz posted on X.
“This communist clown needs to be sent back,” Federalist CEO Sean Davis posted on X.
Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s campaign but did not receive a response about the post, which is still visible on his X account as of Tuesday morning.
Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, rocked the political landscape last month when he was victorious in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary despite running on a platform filled with left-wing priorities and a track record that includes previous calls to defund the police.
Mamdani, who was born in Uganda to parents from India, has become a target for moderate Democrats and Republicans over his socialist views and recently faced controversy after it was reported he identified as Asian and African American while applying to college.
Mamdani is set to face off against several candidates in the general election this November, including current Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
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