NYPD commissioner ‘proudly’ leads Israel parade as grand marshal; Mamdani breaks tradition, avoids event

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NYPD commissioner ‘proudly’ leads Israel parade as grand marshal; Mamdani breaks tradition, avoids event

Stephen Sorace
3 min read

The annual parade honoring Israel kicked off in New York City on Sunday without New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who earlier said he had chosen to skip the event, as his police commissioner led the parade as a grand marshal and other New York political leaders such as Gov. Kathy Hochul and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer attended.

The Israel Day parade has always been a must-attend event for mayors, governors and other political leaders to celebrate the Jewish state with throngs of revelers who pack Fifth Avenue.

Mamdani on Thursday told reporters at a news conference that he would not be attending.

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“I said on the campaign trail that I wouldn’t be attending the parade, and I’ve made my views on the Israeli government abundantly clear,” the mayor said.

Mamdani Won’t Attend Israel Day Parade, Breaking Decades-long Mayoral Tradition Amid Antisemitism Surge

New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani walking in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani participates in the 2026 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City on March 17. Mamdani has chosen not to attend the city’s Israel Day parade, sparking criticism amid records levels of antisemitism.

(Getty Images)

The city’s police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, who is Jewish, told reporters as she stood alongside Mamdani at the news conference that she would “proudly” march in the parade.

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Mamdani’s decision broke a long-standing tradition of mayors participating in the event.

New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman, who has long criticized Mamdani, called the mayor “anti-Israel” during his own news conference before the parade began.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman speaking at a podium during a press event
New York Republican Gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman criticized Mamdani at the Israel Day parade.

“I think that he’s an anti-Semite. I think he’s anti-Israel,” Blakeman said of Mamdani. “One of the first things he did as mayor was he watered down the definition of antisemitism. He speaks out against Israel all the time.”

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Blakeman said that while Mamdani “denigrates Israel,” the mayor chooses to not speak out on countries that suppress human rights.