Mayor Mamdani Skips Brooklyn and Queens Columbus Day Parades, Drawing Criticism
Organizers in both boroughs expressed disappointment and accused the mayor of disrespecting the Italian American community.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani did not attend the annual Columbus Day Parade in Brooklyn or the event in Queens on Saturday, drawing criticism from organizers and community members who felt snubbed.
The Federation of Italian American Organizations of Brooklyn, which hosts the parade along 18th Avenue in Bensonhurst, confirmed that the Mayor's Office declined their invitation weeks after it was sent. Meanwhile, organizers of the Queens Columbus Day Parade in Astoria stated that Mamdani never responded to their invitation.
Carlo Scissura, vice chairman of the Federation of Italian American Organizations of Brooklyn, stated, "We are proud and excited to host our annual parade, a powerful celebration of Italian American heritage, pride and culture." However, attendees expressed disappointment.
"It's very disappointing because we elected him the mayor, and he is supposed to be representing everybody," said Albert Esposito, 72, a retired teacher. Paul DeSpirito, 53, who owns a local Italian sandwich and catering business, called Mamdani's absence "a slap in the face to the Italian American community."
Angie Markham, executive director of the FAIO of Queens, acknowledged Mamdani's non-attendance at the Astoria event but stated it "isn't gonna make or break the event for me." She added, "People wanna change history. It is what it is. This is the day we chose to [honor] Italian heritage. The Spanish have a whole month. The blacks have a whole month. We have one day. Leave us alone!"
Jerry Iannece, a criminal court judge and parade chairman, described the mayor's stance as "misguided," suggesting it reflects a desire to "rewrite history."
Mamdani has a history of contentious interactions with the Italian American community regarding Columbus Day. In 2020, a social media post resurfaced during his mayoral campaign showing him giving a middle finger to a Christopher Columbus statue in Astoria with the caption, "Take it down."
Earlier this year, Mamdani's administration faced backlash when Little Italy was excluded from a city map of immigrant enclaves. The Mayor's Office stated the list was not exhaustive and would be amended, but the exclusion added to existing tensions.
Sources indicated that Mamdani is also unlikely to attend the larger Columbus Day Parade on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on Monday, organized by the Columbus Citizens Foundation. This foundation had faced criticism from other Italian American groups for attempting to invite Mamdani despite his past controversies.