Mamdani to Skip Manhattan Columbus Day Parade in Latest Snub to NYC Italian Community
New York City is a city in New York County, New York. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will skip the Christopher Columbus Day parade up Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on Monday, October 12, the New York Post reported on October 11 — the latest friction between the mayor and the city's Italian-American community.
"He's disrespectful to the Italian-American community and not coming to the Columbus Day parade confirms it," said Angelo Vivolo, chairman of the Columbus Heritage Coalition, which represents more than 50 Italian-American organizations. "We know he hates Columbus. But the parade celebrates the rich culture and heritage of Italian-Americans."
Mamdani's rift with the community runs deep. He has long denounced Columbus as a colonist who abused and displaced Native Americans. In a June 2020 social media post, he flipped the bird at a Christopher Columbus statue in Astoria, Queens, writing "Take it down." This summer, an ethnic-enclave map released by City Hall omitted well-known Italian neighborhoods such as Little Italy and Arthur Avenue in the Bronx; the mayor later called the list "not exhaustive" after protests.
Notably, just two days earlier, on Saturday, October 10, Mamdani had already skipped Brooklyn's Columbus Day parade and ignored an invitation from organizers in Astoria, Queens. His absence from the flagship Fifth Avenue parade now deepens the Italian community's disappointment.
Mamdani has not been entirely silent: he issued a nearly three-minute video statement celebrating Italian Heritage Month, paying tribute to Italian immigrants who helped build the city and honoring East Harlem Rep. Vito Marcantonio, who fought for Social Security, unemployment benefits and civil rights. The video, however, has done little to cool the anger of Italian-American leaders.
The mayor also boycotted the Israel Day parade in May. His outspoken stances on cultural issues continue to test his relationship with the city's diverse ethnic communities. As of press time, the mayor's office had not responded to the Post's request for comment.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 2016年纽约第五大道哥伦布日游行资料照（旗手方阵）。图片来源：Wikimedia Commons，Regina Mundi Council #3969 摄，CC BY-SA 2.0 授权
