Actor Robert Davi has sharply criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani following the omission of Little Italy from a city map designed to showcase immigrant enclaves. The map, which highlights 30 immigrant communities across the city's five boroughs, initially did not include Little Italy, as well as historically Jewish and Irish neighborhoods, sparking backlash from Italian-American groups and others.
The city has since stated plans to update the map to include Little Italy after facing public criticism.
Davi, born in Queens, New York, and known for his role in "Die Hard," posted a video on X expressing his anger. He referred to Mamdani as a "jerk" and criticized the decision to exclude the historically Italian neighborhood. Davi, whose grandparents immigrated from Sicily and Naples, emphasized the contributions of Italian immigrants to building New York City.
"My grandfather enlisted in World War I and got wounded three times… he helped build New York City as an immigrant, an Italian immigrant," Davi stated. He also suggested that Mayor Mamdani, whom he characterized as a "leftist Marxist Communist," should reconsider his place in the United States.
Mamdani, who was born in Kampala, Uganda, and moved to the U.S. at age 7, defended the map, stating it was initially created by the prior administration in 2023. He acknowledged that the map was not exhaustive and indicated that additional changes would be made to reflect the city's diversity, including the addition of Little Italy.
Historically, over 4 million Italians immigrated to the United States between the 1880s and 1924, with approximately one-third settling in New York City. The controversy highlights ongoing discussions about the representation and acknowledgment of various ethnic communities within the city.
