Zohran Mamdani, a candidate for New York City’s mayoral race, has found himself at the center of controversy due to a resurfaced social media post from June 2020. In the post, Mamdani is seen showing the middle finger to a statue of Christopher Columbus in Astoria, accompanied by a tweet that read, “Take it down.” At the time, Mamdani was campaigning for state office and his actions have reignited debates over the legacy of Columbus. The post has particularly angered Italian Americans in New York, including members of the Columbus Heritage Coalition. Angelo Vivolo, president of the coalition, expressed his disapproval and stated that they would not support Mamdani in the upcoming November elections. Vivolo emphasized the importance of Columbus Day and statues to the Italian American community, stating, “If you offend one community, you offend all communities.” He further questioned Mamdani’s ability to represent all New Yorkers as mayor. Joseph Scelsa, founder and president of the Italian American Museum, highlighted that Italian Americans constitute about 8% of New York City’s population. He defended Columbus as a hero for their community and questioned who has the authority to redefine historical figures’ legacies. The debate over Columbus statues and Columbus Day is part of a broader conversation about historical figures’ treatment of Native Americans and their place in modern society. Mamdani’s political journey took an unexpected turn last month when he won a surprising victory in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, defeating incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo. As Cuomo considers running as an Independent in November, Mamdani could face him again. Other candidates include current Mayor Eric Adams and Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee.