NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani faces backlash over World Hijab Day post amid Iran protests

The post, shared on February 1 by the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, read: “Today, we celebrate the faith, identity, & pride of Muslim women & girls around the world who choose to wear the hijab, a powerful symbol of devotion & celebration of Muslim heritage.”

The message triggered sharp reactions from activists and critics of Iran’s Islamic Republic, where women have faced arrests, violence, and even death for refusing to wear the hijab.

Iranian-American journalist and activist Masih Alinejad condemned the post, writing that celebrating World Hijab Day while Iranian women are being jailed and killed for rejecting the hijab was deeply distressing. “With this post, you are standing with our jailers,” she said, calling the mayor’s silence on Iran “shameful.”

French author and activist Bernard-Henri Lévy also criticised the timing of the post, questioning how a global city could celebrate the hijab while women in Iran are being “jailed, tortured, and murdered” for refusing to wear it.

Middle East commentator Dan Burmawi took issue with the language used in the post, arguing that many women are pressured or conditioned into wearing the hijab.

He recalled how his own mother appeared “alive, free, and happy” when she once went out without it.

Mamdani has previously spoken about discrimination faced by Muslim New Yorkers.

Last year, he said his aunt stopped using the subway after the September 11 attacks because she did not feel safe wearing a hijab, and recalled being advised to keep his faith private when entering politics.

“These are lessons that so many Muslim New Yorkers have been taught,” Mamdani had said while speaking about anti-Muslim prejudice.

The hijab has been a central flashpoint in Iran since the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022. While enforcement has since become selective, many Iranian women now openly defy the law by appearing in public without the head covering — an act that continues to carry serious risks.