Mamdani spoke of his aunt’s fear after 9/11. Backlash revealed how Islamophobia persists.

New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani delivered a speech addressing Islamophobia after political opponents made inflammatory comments suggesting his Muslim faith made him unfit for office. During his remarks, Mamdani shared how his aunt avoided subway travel while wearing her hijab following the September 11 attacks due to safety concerns, which conservative figures like Vice President JD Vance subsequently mocked on social media. Extensive research demonstrates that Muslim women, especially those wearing hijabs, faced dramatically increased harassment and violence after 9/11, with hate crimes against Muslims rising over 500 percent between 2000 and 2009.