Kathrine Frich
Zohran Mamdani rose to office promising a fresh approach to leadership.
Now, his tenure is already facing controversy.
Protests in times square
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced backlash from Turkish-American groups after comments he made about the 1915 events involving Armenians.
According to Daily Sabah, demonstrators gathered in Times Square, where several Turkish associations organised a protest.
Participants carried signs and chanted slogans, while a smaller group of Armenian Americans staged a counter-demonstration.
Disputed statements
The controversy stems from a social media post in which Mamdani stated that “1.5 million Armenians” were killed by the Ottoman Empire.
He also referred to more recent events in Karabakh, claiming that Armenians were expelled from the region.
Türkiye disputes the characterisation of the 1915 events as genocide, describing them as a broader wartime tragedy in which multiple groups suffered.
Community reaction
Protest organisers said the mayor’s remarks risked deepening divisions in a city known for its diverse population.
In a statement cited by Daily Sabah, participants said such issues should be examined carefully and not politicised.
At the rally, Turkish-American National Steering Committee vice president Gökhan Doğan said: “Mamdani’s words deeply hurt the Turkish American community.”
Calls for caution
Gülay Aydemir, chair of the Federation of Turkish American Associations, also criticised the comments.
“We are here for Türkiye to advocate the truth. I believe we have to raise our voice stronger against the mayor’s remarks,” she said.
Organisers stressed the need for a more balanced and historically grounded discussion of the events.
International response
The issue has also drawn reactions from officials in Türkiye and Azerbaijan.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry warned against politicising historical disputes, while reiterating its call for a joint commission of historians to examine the events.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry also criticised Mamdani’s remarks, urging him to “act responsibly and refrain from spreading misinformation.”
Sources: Daily Sabah, AA
