Sharpton blasts ‘ugly Islamophobia’ in NYC mayoral race as Mamdani attacks Trump on welfare cuts
In a passionate rally held in Harlem, the Rev. Al Sharpton condemned the rising tide of “ugly Islamophobia” that has infiltrated New York City’s mayoral race, particularly targeting Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani. Sharpton, a prominent MSNBC host and civil rights activist, voiced his outrage over the negative portrayal of Muslims in the political discourse, suggesting that some candidates were unfairly labeling all Muslims as terrorists. Speaking at the House of Justice, the headquarters of his National Action Network, Sharpton emphasized the need for unity among diverse communities, asserting that the political climate should not exploit fear or division. He highlighted the importance of standing against Islamophobia, especially in a city as diverse as New York, and called for solidarity among different faiths to combat such narratives.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist and progressive candidate, echoed Sharpton’s sentiments while taking aim at former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and President Donald Trump. During his speech, Mamdani drew parallels between contemporary welfare programs and the Freedmen’s Bureau, an agency established during the Reconstruction era to assist newly freed slaves. He criticized Trump for undermining welfare initiatives, suggesting that the former president would dismantle programs designed to support the poor, much like he has done with SNAP, Medicare, and Medicaid. Mamdani’s message resonated with the audience as he articulated a vision for a more equitable society, emphasizing the need for economic renewal and justice. The rally served as a platform for both leaders to advocate for inclusivity and to challenge the divisive rhetoric that has surfaced in the current political landscape, reinforcing their commitment to a campaign rooted in compassion and community empowerment.
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The Rev. Al Sharpton on Saturday slammed what he called “ugly Islamophobia” sweeping New York City’s mayoral race, accusing some of labeling every Muslim a terrorist to attack Democratic candidate
Zohran Mamdani.
Sharpton, an MSNBC host and progressive activist, was speaking at an event he was hosting for Mamdani in Harlem, and the mayoral candidate was throwing jabs too, accusing President
Donald Trump
of smearing and gutting welfare programs. The democratic socialist drew parallels to the Reconstruction-era agency created to help newly freed slaves to hammer home his point.
The pair were joined by Pastor Miles Travis Boyd, whose mother died on 9/11, as well as other faith leaders.
“I am outraged at the ugly Islamophobia that has been used in this campaign to act as though every Muslim is a terrorist and to act like something ugly, as what happened to us
on 9/11
is an insult to the intelligence of all New Yorkers,” Sharpton told a lively crowd at the House of Justice, his National Action Network headquarters.
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“If you can’t get a vote on your record, don’t play us against each other.”
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo faced criticism from Mamdani after Cuomo’s exchange with radio host Sid Rosenberg, who claimed Mamdani would be “cheering” if another 9/11 happened. Cuomo had argued during the segment that Mamdani was unprepared to lead the city in a time of crisis.
After Sharpton’s remarks on Saturday, Cuomo denied accusations of Islamophobia and said comments from Republican Councilwoman Inna Vernikov — who has endorsed him and has been accused of making inflammatory statements — were hers alone. Cuomo, in turn, accused Mamdani of fueling division and antisemitism for allegedly refusing to denounce calls for an “intifada” and for making past statements he described as offensive toward Jews.
Sharpton also argued Saturday that just showing up at someone’s campaign or shaking their hand doesn’t mean you share blame for whatever they’ve been accused of. Sharpton was likely referencing a
meeting Mamdani had last week
with Siraj Wahhaj, a Brooklyn imam who is an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and who has been linked to other terrorist activity in the United States.
Sharpton said he denounced both the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.
“I’m against Islamophobia. But to bring it into the politics of the biggest city in the world should not be allowed to go unchecked,” Sharpton said. “We are not going to sit by silently while they do this. We are Christian. I’m a born-again Baptist, but I embrace the
Muslim community
to come from the shadows. The Jewish community to come from the shadows. And let’s walk down Broadway together.”
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He then pitched his flag in Mamdani’s corner after telling the audience that Mamdani was the only candidate who turned up to their events.
“For fairness, for affordability, for those who’ve been victimized, I bring you the candidate who showed up, Zohran Mamdani,” Sharpton said, shaking Mamdani’s hand as the crowd cheered and clapped in approval.
Mamdani followed Sharpton’s remarks with a speech invoking America’s Reconstruction era, accusing Trump of gutting modern welfare programs, saying they represented today’s version of the Freedmen’s Bureau. The agency provided relief and education and helped reunite families of enslaved people and poor Whites in the post-Civil War South.
“If the Freedmen’s Bureau existed today, Donald Trump would pilfer its coffers and smear it as socialist overreach,” Mamdani said. “He would do to it what he has done to SNAP, Medicare and Medicaid, to any program that dares to uplift the poor rather than comfort the wealthy.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Mamdani said his campaign was rooted in moral and economic renewal stretching from Harlem to Queens to Bay Ridge.
“Over the past 12 months, my friends, we have built a movement around creating a society we would all like to see, a society where the poor receive aid, where those who work long nights are set free in the day, where injustice is banished from our city and where faith is restored in City Hall,” Mamdani said.
Eric
Eric is a seasoned journalist covering US Politics news.
