FLASHBACK: Mamdani Labeled Kirk A ‘Far-Right Extremist’ Who Should Be Canceled From Speaking In NYC

New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim socialist, previously endorsed a statement labeling conservative commentator Charlie Kirk—who was assassinated last week—as an “extremist.” The letter urged a venue not to allow Kirk to appear in the city.

The remarks were included in a June 2023 press release signed by several local Democrats, including Mamdani. The statement was issued “in response to Motif Studios agreeing to host a far-right extremist event on June 17th at Tammany House in Long Island City.”

“As elected officials representing western Queens, we are deeply disappointed by the decision by Motif Studios to host an event by the far-right extremist groups Blexit and Turning Point USA at their Triplex LIC/Tammany House venue in Long Island City,” the Democrats wrote.

The release further declared, “Providing a platform for the kind of transphobic, bigoted views held by invited speakers Candace Owens, Charlie Kirk and others goes directly against the diversity and inclusivity that we hold dear as New Yorkers and is an insult to every member of our community.”

The officials went on to call for the venue to cancel the event, urging Motif Studios to “follow the lead” of another space that had initially agreed to host but later “canceled their booking after the community spoke out” about the “bigotry” of the organizers.

“Hate has no home in Queens, New York City, or anywhere else and certainly not here in Long Island City,” the statement added.

Despite the opposition, the program was held as scheduled. Kirk himself posted video footage showing security escorting out a protester who had attempted to interrupt the gathering.

Republican Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz, who represents New York’s 15th District, told Fox News Digital that Kirk’s killing highlighted the dangers of suppressing speech. He argued that officials must confront “the culture of hate that has been allowed to grow.”

“We cannot ignore that my colleagues, Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani and his radical DSA allies, once tried to silence Charlie Kirk in New York City, pressuring venues to cancel his events,” Blumencranz said. “That mindset of censorship and public shaming feeds the hostile climate we see today and corrodes the American ideal that speech must be met with more speech, not suppression.”

Kirk’s murder has sparked heated national debate about freedom of expression. Blumencranz pointed out to Fox News Digital that Mamdani—who currently holds a strong polling advantage in the mayoral race—has been inconsistent in his stance on the matter.

“What’s most telling is Mamdani’s double standard: the speech he rushes to protect — like ‘globalize the intifada,’ which many view as a call to violence against Jews — tears at America’s fabric, while the speech he vigorously fights to silence is the very kind that keeps our democracy alive,” Blumencranz said.

He added, “New Yorkers must ask themselves what it would mean to have a ‘Silencer-in-Chief’ like Zohran Mamdani in City Hall. New York deserves a ‘Unifier-in-Chief,’ who will defend free expression and bring people together — clearly, Zohran Mamdani is not that leader.”

Mamdani did address Kirk’s assassination publicly, telling supporters the tragedy was “horrific” and described the killing as “yet another victim of gun violence in a nation where what should be a rarity has turned into a plague.”

On X, he also posted that he was “horrified” and insisted that “political violence has no place in our country.”

{Matzav.com}