NEW YORK: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said that receiving death threats over his views on Israel and Gaza has been one of the most difficult challenges he has faced since entering public office.
In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Mamdani spoke about the personal impact of threats directed at him and his wife, Rama Duwaji, who has also been outspoken on issues related to Israel and Gaza.
“It is hard to prepare for death threats,” Mamdani said, adding that it was equally difficult to receive calls from law enforcement informing him about individuals allegedly planning violence against him.
The mayor recalled being contacted by a district attorney regarding a suspect from another US state who was later charged over threatening messages.
The case dates back to September, when Mamdani was campaigning for mayor. According to prosecutors, Jeremy Fistel, a Texas resident, was indicted on charges of making a terroristic threat as a hate crime after allegedly sending threatening messages targeting Mamdani.
More Read
At the time, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said the suspect had made violent threats against Mamdani and his family, including statements urging him to leave the United States and threatening to kill him.
Mamdani’s comments come amid continued political divisions in the United States over the Israel-Gaza conflict, with several elected officials reporting heightened security concerns due to their public positions on the issue.
