Mamdani inaugurated as New York City mayor at grand public ceremony

Zohran Mamdani was publicly sworn in as the 112th mayor of New York City on Thursday during a public ceremony at City Hall, becoming the first Muslim and South Asian to lead the largest US city, after taking the oath of office on the Quran hours earlier.

The oath was administered for a second time by US Senator Bernie Sanders, democratic socialist senator from Vermont, who supported Mamdani's progressive campaign promises.

"I promise you this: If you are a New Yorker, I am your mayor. Regardless of whether we agree, I will protect you, celebrate with you, mourn alongside you, and never, not for a second, hide from you," Mamdani told the crowd that included supporters, city officials and his family.

"I was elected as a Democratic socialist. and I will govern as a Democratic socialist. I will not abandon my principles for fear of being deemed radical," he added, reiterating campaign promises that include universal childcare and rent freezes.

"We will strive each day to ensure that no New Yorker is priced out of any one of those basic necessities," he stressed.

"This will not be a tale of one city governed only by the 1% nor will be a tale of two cities, the rich versus the poor," he said.

Mamdani also said the "authors of this story" would reflect New York City's diversity, speaking languages ranging from Pashto and Mandarin to Yiddish and Creole, and worshipping in mosques, synagogues, churches, gurdwaras and temples — or not worshipping at all.

"They will be Palestinian New Yorkers in Bay Ridge, who will no longer have to contend with a politics that speaks of universalism and then makes them the exception," he continued.

Sanders praised Mamdani's campaign for challenging entrenched political and economic powers, saying: "You took on the Democratic establishment, the Republican establishment, the president of the United States, and some enormously wealthy oligarchs, and you defeated them in the biggest political upset in modern American history."

Noting that Mamdani's opponents called his campaign promises "radical," Sanders said making housing affordable, providing free childcare, and expanding public transit is not "radical." "lt is the right and decent thing to do."

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive Democratic member of Congress, delivered introductory remarks.

Ocasio-Cortez, who represents New York's 14th congressional district, said Mamdani's ascent marked "a new era for New York City," describing him as a historic mayor guided by a commitment to the working class and dedicated to making life "not just possible but aspirational" for working people.

"We have chosen this path because we know that it's the right thing to do, it's the smart thing to do, and that if we can make it here, we can make it anywhere," she added.

Imam Khalid Latif of the Islamic Center of New York City also addressed the crowd during the ceremony.

Meanwhile, Mark Levine was sworn in as New York City's 52nd Comptroller, and Jumaane Williams as Public Advocate.

The ceremony followed an earlier, symbolic private swearing-in held just after midnight at Manhattan's historic Old City Hall subway station.

Besides being the first Muslim to lead the largest US city, Mamdani, 34, is the youngest person in generations and the first mayor of New York City to be born in Africa. He was born in Kampala, Uganda to Indian immigrant parents.

He is the son of filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani. His family moved to New York when he was seven years old, and became a US citizen in 2018.

He won the mayoral race in the Nov. 4 election, defeating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, marking a historic victory for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.

Mamdani rose to prominence after winning a seat in the New York State Assembly in 2020, representing parts of Queens.

During his campaign, Mamdani focused on affordability and expanding social services, pledging free public buses, universal childcare, city-run grocery stores, expanded rent-stabilized housing, and raising the minimum wage to $30 per hour by 2030.