Palestinian-American activist Linda Sarsour issued a cautionary note on Saturday night, urging people to “hold New York City mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani accountable” for his campaign promises, particularly regarding the dismantling of the NYPD’s police force responsible for handling threats, protests, and riots.
In an Instagram livestream shared with Fox News Digital, Sarsour emphasized that electing Mamdani doesn’t equate to letting him have free rein once he reaches City Hall.
“I want everyone to know that I am not going to work for the Zoran regime,” she remarked, adding, “I’m not planning to work at City Hall because there are definitely others like me who prefer to stay outside.”
She mentioned that those within the system should be accountable to those outside, declaring, “We see you. We’re paying attention.”
Attempts to obtain comments from Sarsour or her political organization, M Power Action, were unsuccessful.
Previously a member of the Democratic Socialists of America alongside Mamdani, Sarsour served as a political mentor to him. They collaborated in 2017 for a city council candidate backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, though that candidate did not succeed.
Not long after, Mamdani joined the board of the Muslim Democratic Club of New York, which Sarsour co-founded. She backed his win in the City Council race and was one of the early supporters of his mayoral candidacy.
M Power Action is part of a larger coalition of Democratic Party-aligned organizations, including labor unions and Muslim and South Asian groups, aiming to elect New York City’s first Muslim mayor.
Sarsour asserted during the livestream that if Mamdani fails to meet expectations, they will speak out. “When I’m at City Hall and he makes a mistake, I’ll let him know he’s wrong,” she stated.
“Voting for Zoran doesn’t mean ‘Vote for Zoran and let him operate without scrutiny at City Hall.’ Our role as a movement is to hold those in power accountable,” Sarsour added.
She dismissed allegations that Mamdani’s campaign is religiously driven, despite him referencing his faith in various aspects of his campaign. “Our candidate happened to be Muslim but that wasn’t the focus of the campaign,” she clarified.
She pointed out that Mamdani has largely avoided taking a stance in pro-Palestinian matters, noting, “None of the campaigns were geared towards ‘Liberate Palestine’ nor did they promote special rights for Muslims. That was just a part of Zoran’s identity but not fundamentally his campaign.”
Mamdani’s team has not responded to comments regarding these topics.
Throughout his campaign, Mamdani indicated he would retain Jessica Tisch as police chief, later assuring on a podcast that he expected her to adhere to his directives, which include disbanding the NYPD’s strategic response unit managing protests and riots.
“I expect everyone to follow my lead. I will be the mayor,” Mamdani claimed on the podcast.
Since the onset of protests across New York City following the Hamas invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, the NYPD has deployed strategic response units, many of which support Mamdani’s campaign. Both Sarsour and Mamdani have participated in these protests.
In November 2024, Mayor Eric Adams appointed Tisch, who has a longstanding law enforcement background, as police chief.
Sarsour voiced her discontent with the news regarding Tisch’s continuity in the NYPD, reflecting Mamdani’s perspective that the police chief serves at the mayor’s behest. “If Zoran instructs Tisch to implement certain actions, she has to comply,” Sarsour noted.
“If she defies him, then it’ll be Zoran we need to approach and say, ‘That decision was wrong.’ What measures will you take to hold the police chief accountable?” she elaborated.
Sarsour pointed out the tensions surrounding Mamdani’s coalition with groups like the Democratic Socialists of America and individuals with controversial backgrounds, stating, “We need to pick a side; you can’t blend being a Marxist and a radical Islamist.”
She also indicated that if Mamdani triumphs, he will owe his supporters. “Once Mr. Zoran takes office in January, we must be watchful on the outside,” she emphasized. “Zoran would need to recognize that the voters, activists, and organizers are the ones who helped him get there.”
Sarsour extended her support to two other Muslim candidates: Minneapolis’s Amal Fateh and Jersey City’s Moussa Ali, also backed by organizations like Emgage Action and CAIR Action, both aligned with Mamdani.
Expressing optimism, she remarked, “Inshallah, we’re on the verge of starting a new political landscape, right?”
