New York mayor skips Columbus Day parades across city

Summarised from 2 outlets · 3 reports · Updated 12 Oct, 13:57 · Archive

Mayor Zohran Mamdani declined to attend Columbus Day parades in Brooklyn and Queens over the weekend and will skip Manhattan's parade on Monday.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani did not attend Columbus Day parades in Brooklyn and Queens over the weekend and confirmed he will not attend the Manhattan parade on Monday. The mayor's office told Brooklyn organisers he had declined their invitation, which was sent weeks earlier. Queens parade organisers said Mamdani never responded to their invitation.

Italian-American leaders criticised the absences. Angelo Vivolo, chairman of the Columbus Heritage Coalition representing more than 50 Italian-American organisations, said Mamdani's no-show confirmed he is disrespectful to Italian-Americans. Angie Markham, executive director of the Federation of Italian American Organizations of Queens, said the mayor not attending 'isn't gonna make or break the event' but noted Italian-Americans have only one day to celebrate their heritage while other communities have a full month.

Mamdani has been a vocal critic of Columbus, whom he characterises as a coloniser who abused and displaced Native Americans. In a 2020 social media post, he gave the finger to a Columbus statue in Queens and wrote 'take it down.' The mayor also drew criticism when the city released a map of immigrant enclaves that omitted Little Italy neighbourhoods in Manhattan and the Bronx. After the City Council's Italian Caucus accused him of erasing their culture, Mamdani said the map was incomplete and that changes would be made.

How it is being reported

• Woke NYC mayor angers Italian-Americans by skipping Columbus Day parade after giving statue of famed explorer the finger and erasing Little Italy from mapThe 34-year-old Democratic Socialist was a no-show over the weekend as New Yorkers across the five boroughs celebrated the Italian explorer.Daily Mail · 12 Oct, 13:44
• Mamdani to skip Manhattan Columbus parade in latest snub to NYC Italian communityMamdani is skipping the Christopher Columbus Day parade up Fifth Avenue on Monday, The Post has learned.New York Post · 12 Oct, 00:56
• Mamdani snubs Brooklyn Columbus Day Parade, ghosts Queens organizers: ‘slap in the face’Mayor Zohran Mamdani slapped New York’s Italian American community in the face again Saturday -- snubbing Brooklyn’s annual Columbus Day Parade and ghosting organizers of a similar event in Queens.New York Post · 10 Oct, 20:37

In this story: Zohran Mamdani · Angelo Vivolo · Angie Markham · Brooklyn · Queens · Manhattan · New York City

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