STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is taking aim at Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani over a years-old social media post that he said is disrespectful to New York City’s Italian American community.
On Wednesday, Cuomo held a press conference at Casa Belvedere on Grymes Hill to criticize a 2020 social media post in which Mamdani posted a picture of himself giving the middle finger to a statue of Christopher Columbus with the caption “Take it down.”
“The photo to my left says it all. Christopher Columbus is a symbol for the Italian American people in New York,” said Cuomo, who is running as an Independent candidate after losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary.
“First, the gesture of that hand, gesture, let’s call it, to anything, is reprehensible and immature. But to the statue of Christopher Columbus is truly disrespectful. Not just to that particular statue, but to the Italian American people who Christopher Columbus actually signifies a big part of their tradition,” he continued.
The Mamdani campaign did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
Under the sponsorship of Spain, Columbus, an Italian explorer, sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492 in search of a new route to Asia. Instead, he landed in the Americas, which ignited centuries of colonization. Columbus Day commemorates his landing and has become a celebration of Italian American heritage.
However, Columbus has become a controversial figure due to his treatment of Indigenous peoples, including acts of violence, enslavement, and the spread of diseases that obliterated native populations. As a result, many communities forgo Columbus Day and observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day to honor the cultures and histories of Native American peoples.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running for mayor as an independent candidate, held a press conference at Casa Belvedere in Grymes Hill to criticize Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani for a 2020 social media post where he can be seen giving the middle finger to a Christopher Columbus statue. (Advance/SILive.com | Erik Bascome)Advance/SILive.com | Erik Bascome
New York City’s statues of Columbus have become an unexpected flashpoint in the mayoral race, with other candidates pledging their support for the statues while Mamdani has offered little public comment on the matter.
While Mayor Eric Adams has dropped out of the race, he has announced his desire to landmark two of the Italian explorer’s monuments at Columbus Circle in Manhattan and Astoria’s Columbus Square.
“We are calling for a full and fair review of the applications to preserve Columbus statues as scenic landmarks in Manhattan and Queens so that the public is given the opportunity to participate in the process. We also recognize the contributions of our indigenous community and are proud to establish a new special grant program for cultural programs and art projects representing that community,” Adams said.
Meanwhile, Cuomo, who can trace his family’s roots back to Southern Italy, on Columbus Day, reaffirmed his commitment to protect the Columbus statue at Columbus Circle.
“Columbus Day has always been about honoring the courage, sacrifice, and contribution of the Italian-American community to this city and this nation,” Cuomo said at the time.
“For generations of Italian immigrants who came to New York with nothing but a dream, the statue of Christopher Columbus stood as a symbol that they belonged. It represented acceptance, dignity, and the belief that in America, hard work and family values could overcome prejudice and poverty. I fought to protect the Columbus statue when others wanted to tear it down — and as mayor, I will continue to defend it,“ he added.
And Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa has gone as far as committing to not only preserve the existing Columbus monuments, but to erect one on Staten Island.
At a rally last month, Sliwa, who is of Italian and Polish descent, noted how other boroughs across New York City are home to various statues and parades celebrating Christopher Columbus. Yet Staten Island, “the most Italian of all the boroughs,” does not have such a monument.
“How is it that Staten Island, the most Italian of boroughs, ‘Staten Italy,’ you don’t have a parade? You don’t have a statue? Well guess who’s going to correct that?…” Sliwa said.
There are more than 116,000 Italian-Americans living on Staten Island, representing roughly 23.6% of the borough’s population, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data.
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