Zohran Mamdani is weeks away from becoming Mayor of New York City. As someone who does not live in the city but nevertheless has a lot of opinions about what goes on there, I want his administration to be a success. This is why I was so disappointed by some of the Mayor-Elect's recent conduct, which raises new questions about whether Mr. Mamdani is truly prepared to be a Mayor who represents all New Yorkers.
During his appearance on The Adam Friedland Show this week, Mr. Mamdani, a devout Arsenal fan, took some time out of explaining his policy agenda to remember some Arsenal guys:
Sebastien Squillaci. Pascal Cygan. Marouane Chamakh. To some New Yorkers, these are simply names of former Arsenal players. But to others, they are words that, when spoken aloud by someone with Mr. Mamdani's ideological bent, make them feel unsafe in their own city.
Arsenal fandom has been steadily rising in New York City, and it is the responsibility of the Mayor to ensure that New Yorkers who do not root for that particular team feel safe in their communities. What will Mr. Mamdani do to protect New Yorkers who are increasingly worried about encountering Arsenal fandom whenever they venture outside their homes? Is Mr. Mamdani's vision of New York City one where it is acceptable for words like "Jack Wilshere" and "Alexis Sánchez" to be spoken in schools, on subway platforms, and in office buildings?
Unfortunately, Mr. Mamdani has yet to demonstrate a commitment to protecting Arsenal-agnostic New Yorkers who feel unsafe. At no point during his campaign did he visit a Tottenham or Liverpool bar, and he has repeatedly ignored calls to condemn Nicolas Pépé. When it was revealed in the summer that one of Mr. Mamdani's senior campaign staffers had tweeted "Matteo Guendouzi is lowkey nice with it," in 2019, that staffer kept his job and avoided any disciplinary action.
All of this raises a great deal of concern about Mr. Mamdani's agenda as he heads into his first term. Critics say that Mr. Mamdani's cozy relationship with Arsenal fans, often called "gooners," is evidence of anti-Chelsea bias. Many fans within the city's Manchester United community have indicated that they will have no choice but to leave the city for good without a commitment from Mr. Mamdani to keep them safe. Speaking to reporters last week, a group of Crystal Palace community leaders warned against the possibility of New York City falling under "Gooner Law" during Mr. Mamdani's first year in office.
Remembering some guys is a pastime that all New Yorkers should feel welcome to participate in. If Mr. Mamdani truly believes this as well, he has yet to prove it.
