Zohran Mamdani, New York City's mayor-elect and the first Muslim to hold the position, has pledged to make fighting Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism a cornerstone of his administration ahead of his January 1, 2026, inauguration. The commitment came in a December 23, 2025, post on X, where Mamdani detailed a phone conversation with Mustapha Kharbouch, a Palestinian student at Brown University who was falsely accused online of perpetrating a deadly campus shooting earlier in the month.
Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist and former state assemblyman, wrote: “As Mayor … I will make it my job to cherish, protect, and celebrate all New Yorkers and combat Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism at every corner.” He described the harassment faced by Kharbouch as “unimaginable Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism,” stemming from a circulating photo of the student wearing a keffiyeh—a traditional Palestinian scarf—that conspiracy theorists used to wrongly link him to the attack.
The incident began after a December 13, 2025, shooting at Brown University's Barus & Holley building killed two students—Ella Cook and Mukhammed Aziz Umurzokov—and injured several others. The perpetrator was later identified as 48-year-old Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a Portuguese former Brown alumnus acting alone. However, during the manhunt, anonymous online accounts and some prominent figures spread misinformation implicating Kharbouch, a third-year student in international relations and anthropology, solely based on his Palestinian heritage and pro-Palestinian activism. Brown University temporarily removed his profile pages for safety, which further fueled speculation.
Kharbouch endured doxxing, death threats, and widespread hate. His legal team described the campaign as “disturbing, racist, and hateful,” rooted in “racism against Palestinians.” Authorities, including Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, warned against online vigilantism, confirming Kharbouch was never a suspect.
In his X post, Mamdani shared details from their call: Kharbouch discussed his academic pursuits, a recent summer internship in New York City (where he lived in Sunnyside, Queens), and potential PhD plans. “I told Mustapha that we would love to have him back in New York City,” Mamdani wrote, extending a personal invitation while tying it to his broader vision for an inclusive city.
Mamdani's election on November 4, 2025, marked multiple historic milestones: the youngest mayor in over a century, the first South Asian American, and the first born in Africa (in Uganda to Indian-origin parents). His progressive platform, emphasizing affordability, housing, and social justice, resonated amid high turnout, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo (running independently) and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
The pledge aligns with Mamdani's longstanding advocacy for Palestinian rights, which featured prominently in his campaign despite drawing criticism and accusations of antisemitism from some quarters. He has repeatedly condemned antisemitism as a “scourge” with no place in the city. His response to Kharbouch's ordeal underscores ongoing concerns about rising Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian sentiment in the U.S., exacerbated by social media misinformation and the Israel-Gaza conflict.
As Mamdani prepares for office—announcing key appointments like a new fire commissioner amid transitions—the statement signals priorities for community safety and anti-hate initiatives. With New York home to diverse Muslim and Palestinian communities, advocates praise it as a rebuke to bigotry. Critics, however, watch closely amid polarized national debates.
The episode highlights dangers of rapid online speculation in tragedies, distracting investigations and endangering innocents. Kharbouch's case echoes past misidentifications fueling hate, prompting calls for platform accountability.
Mamdani's inauguration on New Year's Day, officiated in part by figures like Sen. Bernie Sanders, will launch an era of progressive governance in America's largest city.
