Summary
Zohran Mamdani became the first Muslim mayor of New York City after facing negative comments from both political sides. During his candidacy, several political figures made Islamophobic remarks about him. Research shows that Islamophobia is increasing in the United States, especially during election times.
Key Facts
- Zohran Mamdani is the first Muslim mayor of New York City.
- He faced negative comments from Republican Curtis Sliwa and former governor Andrew Cuomo.
- Current and outgoing mayor Eric Adams opposed Mamdani's election.
- Islamophobic rhetoric tends to increase during political campaigns.
- The Islamophobia Index by ISPU shows rising scores, indicating growing prejudice, especially among white Evangelicals and Catholics.
- The index measures beliefs in stereotypes about Muslims, such as them condoning violence or being hostile to the US.
- The general population's score increased from 25 in 2022 to 33 in 2025.
- Muslim communities are shown by research to overwhelmingly reject violence.
