New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani arrived at Sunday’s Dominican parade in the Bronx wearing an honorary marshal sash, anticipating a typical City Hall moment of music, flags, and community celebration.
However, as he moved through the crowd with his security detail, one man shouted directly to him: “F— you, Mamdani! You don’t represent us! Get out of here!”
The confrontation occurred in front of the parade’s main route on the Grand Concourse. Video footage captured the mayor continuing without stopping to address the angry man.
Another attendee countered, “He represents me, and I’m also Hispanic.” A man with a microphone urged the community not to let politics divide the event.
The incident took place at the 37th anniversary of the Gran Parada Dominicana del Bronx, an annual celebration founded in 1989 to honor Dominican identity, culture, and civic life in New York. This year’s parade featured more than 40 cultural groups and 29 official floats.
Founder Felipe Febles launched the event in 1989. The program named Roberto Rojas as grand marshal and honored a roster of artists and community advocates. Organizers had selected Mayor Mamdani as one of the honorary marshals, placing him among the honorees on the parade route.
The city’s traffic advisory confirmed the parade schedule along the Grand Concourse from East 181st Street to East 167th Street, with the route running south from East 176th Street. This public celebration provided a setting where the mayor was directly confronted by a community member who felt he did not represent them.
Historically, Bronx voters have shown a split in support for Mayor Mamdani, with preliminary results from the 2025 Democratic mayoral primary indicating Andrew Cuomo defeated him by a margin of 54% to 36% within the borough. The mayor has maintained strong support in certain neighborhoods but faces challenges in others.
