Democratic mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani offered an apology to the New York City Police Department (NYPD) on Wednesday, retracting his earlier statements where he referred to the department as “racist,” “evil,” and “corrupt.”
In an interview with Fox News’ Martha McCallum, Mamdani affirmed, “Of course I am here to apologize to the police officers, because this is an apology that I have shared with many rank-and-file police officers.” He went on to express his desire to collaborate with the officers, acknowledging the risks they face in their daily duties.
Mamdani’s views on public safety and police funding have become central to the ongoing mayoral race in New York. He had previously advocated for defunding the police, voicing numerous critical remarks on social media following the protests sparked by the death of George Floyd in 2020, which highlighted issues of racial equality and criminal justice.
He stated back in June 2020, “We don’t need an investigation to know that the NYPD is racist, anti-gay, and a serious threat to public safety. What we need is #DefundTheNYPD,” pointing out what he saw as deceptive budget practices aimed at maintaining police presence.
In December 2020, responding to a report about the NYPD’s approach to sex trafficking, Mamdani reiterated his call for defunding, asserting, “This misery is all about money,” and criticized the department for rejecting budget cuts that could have reduced their overtime expenses.
Recently, however, Mamdani has attempted to clarify his position, insisting he no longer supports defunding the police. He stated that context is important and his earlier remarks arose from a place of frustration. His apology on Wednesday represents a more formal attempt to reconcile with the police force.
According to a recent report from The New York Times, he had reached out to the NYPD and admitted that he owed officers an apology during an interview. When asked about a recent conversation with a group of police officers, Mamdani shared he conveyed his regret over his previous language and expressed a desire to work collaboratively for public safety.
“We used to ask officers to focus on serious crime, but now we’re asking them to focus on mental health crises as well, and we’re asking them to focus on homelessness,” he noted, underscoring the expanded role expected of police in the current climate.
