Hundreds of spectators lined Broadway and stuffed Metropolis Corridor Park to have a good time the inauguration of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who vowed to push his formidable affordability agenda for New York Metropolis and never draw back from the guarantees he made throughout his historic marketing campaign.
“I used to be elected as a democratic socialist, and I’ll govern as a democratic socialist,” he stated on the conclusion of his remarks. “I can’t abandon my ideas for worry of being deemed radical.”
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a political hero of the brand new mayor, presided over the swearing-in and thanked New Yorkers, as he additionally requested them to proceed to help Mamdani as he leads town.
“New York, thanks for uplifting our nation,” he stated. “Thanks for giving us, from coast to coast, the hope and the imaginative and prescient that we will create authorities that works for all — not simply the rich and the few.”
As Sanders spoke, supporters leapt to their ft to chant “tax the wealthy” adopted by a roar of applause as he launched Mamdani, the 112th mayor and the youngest in a era at 34.
Like he did when he took the formal oath within the first few moments of 2026, in a long-abandoned subway station beneath Metropolis Corridor, Mamdani positioned his hand on a Quran held by his spouse, Rama Duwaji.
The gang chanted “Zohran” as he took to the lectern for his speech, which lasted roughly half-hour.
“I stand earlier than you moved by the privilege of taking this sacred oath, humbled by the religion that you’ve got positioned in me, and honored to function both your 111th or 112th mayor of New York Metropolis,” he stated, alluding to latest reporting that town has been miscounting its mayors for the reason that 1600s.
He additionally nodded to his election by a slim margin amid a barrage of assaults.
“Whereas solely motion can change minds, I promise you this —— if you’re a New Yorker, I’m your mayor,” he stated. “No matter whether or not we agree, I’ll defend you, have a good time with you, mourn alongside you and by no means, not for a second, conceal from you.”
Though his speech referenced a litany of New York Metropolis meals and parks and even Knicks star Jalen Brunson, he additionally embraced the seriousness of the second as he stated he wouldn’t decrease the formidable agenda he laid outlaid out throughout his marketing campaign — reiterating his pledges to ship a lease freeze, free buses, free baby care and government-owned grocery shops.
“The one expectation I search to reset is that of small expectations,” he stated. “We could not all the time succeed however by no means will we be accused of missing the braveness to strive.”
His administration would “reply to that age-old query: ‘Who does New York belong to?’” he requested.
“Properly my mates we will look to Madiba and the South African Freedom Constitution: New York belongs to all who dwell in it.”
Mamdani was sworn in alongside Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Mark Levine, who would be the metropolis’s subsequent comptroller.
An estimated 4,000 folks attended the ceremony inside Metropolis Corridor park and tens of hundreds watched his ceremony on screens lined up and down Broadway.
Supporters danced within the frigid temperatures at Metropolis Corridor earlier than the ceremony as a DJ performed music.
The ceremony was jubilant, with actor Mandy Patinkin performing “Someplace Over the Rainbow” with the PS 22 pupil refrain from Staten Island, and different singers carried out and danced on stage. Singer Lucy Dacus carried out the labor anthem “Bread and Roses,” and Bubulicious carried out “Gaddi Purple Challenger,” a Bhangra track rewritten for Mamdani.
Poet Cornelius Eady learn “Proof,” written for the inauguration, he stated, to have a good time Mamdani’s win as displaying what is feasible.
“It’s a must to think about that area they stated wasn’t yours, that point they stated you’d by no means personal,” he learn. “The invisible metropolis lit on its means. This second is our proof.”
Hundreds of supporters gathered alongside Broadway for hours earlier than the ceremony started, braving below-freezing temperatures, hopeful to catch a glimpse of the brand new mayor and witness his historic inauguration.
Rafael Pabón of the South Bronx arrived hours earlier than the ceremony started at 1:30 p.m.
“I’ve by no means voted, within the eight years I’ve lived within the metropolis, as a result of I felt not one of the candidates represented me,” Pabón, who works within the metropolis well being division, stated. “Till Mamdani.”
A lot of these gathered on the inauguration’s “block get together” on Broadway between Barclay and Liberty streets. wore Democratic Socialists of America beanies and Mamdani marketing campaign swag that had been equipped solely for volunteer canvassers and their supervisors throughout his marketing campaign.
Others made their very own sartorial designs for the event, like Hudson Tor of the Higher West Aspect, who wore customized earrings created from the marketing campaign’s “Zetrocards” and the now-retired Metrocard. One other supporter, who recognized herself solely as Jen, wore an elaborate headdress product of a hand fan with the marketing campaign’s emblem, disco balls and synthetic flowers.
Jocelyn De Freites, a single mother from Kensington, Brooklyn, stated she seemed ahead to “simply being round different people who find themselves celebrating, who’re having fun with themselves, who share the values of town.”
Mamdani’s inauguration marked the primary time Jeff Francetti, a university pupil from Boston, ever attended a political rally. Initially from Nassau County, L.I., he stated Mamdani offers Gen Zers like himself “hope that issues can truly change for the higher.”
Mamdani’s shock main win was bolstered by an enormous grassroots marketing campaign operation, with an estimated 100,000 volunteers knocking on doorways and assembly with voters throughout town. His June win over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo — who had the cash, political backing, and union help that Mamdani lacked — was repeated months later in November, when Cuomo ran as an unbiased.
In his speech, Mamdani declared that “this can be a authorities of New York, by New York, and for New York,” and requested everybody to help him and his groups as they get to work.
“We’ll set an instance for the world,” he stated of New York Metropolis.
