New York mayoral candidate Mamdani apologizes for 2020 police remarks

New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has issued a public apology to the New York Police Department for remarks he made during the 2020 George Floyd protests. The Democratic candidate, who maintains a strong lead in polling, expressed regret during a Fox News interview for his previous comments about the police department while outlining his current approach to public safety.

Public Apology on National Television

"I apologize for the language that I used and I spoke to them about the fact that I want to work with them to deliver public safety because what we're seeing in the city right now is we're asking officers to do nearly everything we can think of," Mamdani stated during his Fox News appearance. The candidate noted the expanded responsibilities placed on modern police officers, including responding to mental health crises and homelessness, with the NYPD handling approximately 200,000 mental health calls annually.

Evolving Perspective on Policing

Mamdani acknowledged that his views have developed during his time in the state Legislature, stating he now recognizes the importance of collaborating with law enforcement while still addressing concerns about police conduct. "One of my focuses was, 'How do we deliver that justice?' And now what I know, having represented 100,000 people in western Queens, is that to deliver that justice you have to also deliver that safety," he explained. The candidate emphasized the need to balance multiple perspectives, including those of police officers, communities affected by police brutality, and Muslim residents concerned about surveillance.

Context of Original Comments

The apology references Mamdani's June 2020 social media post on X (formerly Twitter) where he wrote: "We don't need an investigation to know that the NYPD is racist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety. What we need is to #DefundTheNYPD." These comments came during widespread protests following the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man who died when a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly ten minutes, sparking global demonstrations against police brutality and racial injustice.