Zohran Mamdani faces backlash after praising hijab as symbol of devotion, pride

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani found himself at the centre of a backlash after his office marked World Hijab Day with a post praising the hijab as a symbol of faith, identity and pride. His post drew sharp criticism amid protests against compulsory hijab laws in Iran.

The post, shared by Mamdani’s Office of Immigrant Affairs: "Today, we celebrate the faith, identity, & pride of Muslim women & girls around the world who choose to wear the hijab, a powerful symbol of devotion & celebration of Muslim heritage."

The message was condemned by activists and commentators who argued that its tone ignored the reality faced by women in Iran, where refusal to wear the hijab has led to arrests, beatings and deaths.

Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad was among the most vocal critics. Addressing Mamdani directly, she wrote: "Mr. @ZohranKMamdani, really? Right now? To be honest, I feel tortured in my own beautiful city of New York, watching you celebrate ‘World Hijab Day’ while women in my wounded country, Iran, are being jailed, shot, and killed for refusing the hijab and the Islamic ideology behind it."

Alinejad accused the mayor of "standing with our jailers" and called his silence on Iran’s crackdown, paired with the celebratory post, "shameful".

French author and activist Bernard-Henri Levy also criticised the post, questioning both its timing and message. "World Hijab Day How dare you?" Levy wrote. "How can the ‘shining city upon a hill’ celebrate the hijab at the very moment when thousands of women in Iran are being jailed, tortured, and murdered for the simple act of refusing to wear it?"

Another critic said the post crossed a line, accusing the city of celebrating what she described as women’s confinement. "Pride is visible. It does not hide," the user wrote, calling the hijab a man-made tool of control and ending her post by rejecting World Hijab Day altogether.

Turkish-American economist and political scientist Timur Kuran also criticised the post, calling it inappropriate on multiple grounds. He argued that the hijab is a divisive symbol within Islam itself, noting that in countries such as Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, millions view it as a sign of oppression rather than pride. Celebrating World Hijab Day, he said, marginalises those Muslims who reject it. Kuran also warned that singling out one religious dress for official praise risks religious favoritism, questioning whether the city would similarly endorse other faith-based attire. He added that identity politics has already deepened divisions in US politics, and said the post only added to those tensions.

The backlash contrasts with Mamdani’s own past remarks on anti-Muslim prejudice. Speaking last year, he said his aunt stopped taking the subway after the September 11 attacks because she no longer felt safe wearing a hijab. He also recalled being advised to keep his faith private when entering politics.

"These are lessons that so many Muslim New Yorkers have been taught," Mamdani said at the time, referring to the "indignities" faced by Muslims in the city.