New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani skips annual Columbus Day parade

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani skipped the annual Columbus Day parade on Fifth Avenue in New York City on Monday. The New York Post, The New York Times, and ABC7 New York all reported that the mayor did not attend the event. According to the New York Post, gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman called the mayor's absence disgraceful and divisive during an appearance at the parade. [1][6][7][8]

The decision not to attend angered several Italian American groups and parade goers, the New York Post and the Daily Mail reported. The New York Times noted that while the absence upset some attendees, other Italian Americans expressed approval that the mayor chose not to march. [1][6][7]

Columbus Day is a federal holiday in the United States that marks the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas on October 12, 1492. The absence follows previous public controversies involving the mayor, including earlier criticism from media figures over his official statements on foreign affairs, as FTMQ News reported earlier. [9][12]

Elsewhere in national politics on the holiday, former President Donald Trump renewed his support for the celebration and called for the return of a Columbus statue, USA Today reported. [2]