Curtis Sliwa Critiques Zoran Mamdani’s Police Position

Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate for mayor of New York City, has voiced strong criticism of his opponent, socialist candidate Zoran Mamdani. Sliwa highlighted the irony of Mamdani’s calls for reduced police presence, pointing out that he has enjoyed armed security from the NYPD in recent weeks.

“It’s interesting how he returns from Uganda today, where he had armed NYPD officers providing him security around the clock,” Sliwa remarked. “It shows how untrustworthy politicians can be — they say one thing but do another. He gets armed protection while advocating for social workers to take the place of police for everyone else.”

Mamdani has faced backlash for past comments during the 2020 George Floyd protests when he called for cuts to police funding, later posting that “nature is healing.” Critics have called him a hypocrite, adding to the tension surrounding his campaign.

While in Uganda celebrating a family wedding, reports indicated that Mamdani was shielded by heavily armed security. He has since proposed sending mental health workers to respond to crime calls, a concept that has sparked its own set of concerns.

Sliwa, in a conversation with Fox News Digital, expressed his belief that police should focus on public safety. “We need them to protect people on the streets,” he asserted, pointing out the absurdity of Mamdani’s proposed policies in light of his own experiences.

He further criticized Mamdani’s past intention to dismantle the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group, which was active during a recent shooting incident that left four dead. “The hypocrisy is palpable,” Sliwa claimed, “If social workers had gone into that situation, it could’ve ended very differently.”

During a recent press conference, Mamdani avoided directly addressing the labeling of him as a “communist,” a term he’s been frequently associated with amid rising criticisms. Sliwa anticipates that Mamdani’s administration would heavily incorporate radical elements into city governance, which he sees as a threat to community safety.

The discourse around public demonstrations has also surfaced, with Sliwa advocating for legal limits on pro-Palestinian protests, arguing that they should respect the rights of all citizens. He believes that permitting such rallies requires oversight to maintain order.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Mamdani campaign for comments, and during a recent press event, Mamdani addressed his previous remarks against law enforcement. He acknowledged that conditions have changed significantly since then, attributing his past statements to the frustration stemming from George Floyd’s death.

Mamdani clarified that he recognizes the ongoing threats to public safety, which he says necessitate a strong police presence. “My life isn’t at risk, but there are certainly more threats out there,” he noted, trying to balance his past rhetoric with current realities.