Zoran Mamdani Clarifies His Apology to NYPD

Mayoral frontrunner Zoran Mamdani has provided some clarity regarding his recent apology for labeling an NYPD officer as racist, specifying that it was primarily about the “language” he employed at the time.

The democratic socialist made these remarks during an interview on the podcast “The Daily” last Thursday, discussing his earlier sharp criticisms of the NYPD.

When asked if he regretted the “language” and “mindset” behind his previous harsh assessments, which branded officers as “racist” and a “serious threat to public safety,” Mamdani responded: “What I am apologizing for is the language I used.”

He elaborated, saying, “I issued this document because I was applying those terms to police officers, when, in reality, I was referring to a specific practice.” It seemed with these words that he was acknowledging a belief that the method by which police carry out their duties can be fundamentally flawed.

“Meeting police officers, not only as a Congress member but while campaigning for mayor, I realized that beneath every caricature and headline were New Yorkers striving to do their best,” he added.

When pressed further about whether he believed police officers held racist views, the Queens congressman firmly stated, “no.”

However, this clarification follows his outspoken criticism regarding police brutality against Black Americans.

“Learning about Michael Brown and then witnessing the murder of George Floyd in 2020, I felt a gaping chasm and struggled to comprehend how distant it all was,” he shared, reflecting on his feelings during that period.

This convoluted explanation comes after Mamdani issued a long-anticipated public apology to NYPD officers on Wednesday.

“I’m here to apologize to police officers because this is an apology I’ve shared with many rank-and-file police officers,” he mentioned in an interview on Fox News’ “The Story with Martha McCollum.” He added, “And I apologize for wanting to work together with these police officers.”

His history of criticism towards the police is turning out to be a hurdle during his general election campaign.

Last month, in a conversation with the New York Times, he acknowledged that he owed apologies to around 34,000 city employees for earlier comments.

Before this week’s apology, Mamdani had claimed he was addressing these past criticisms in private for several weeks.