New York Mayor Mamdani took the oath at a subway station, placing his hand on the Quran.
New York's new mayor, Zohrahn Mamdani, took a symbolic oath at a subway station, reports the Associated Press.
The small ceremony took place just after midnight on January 1 at the City Hall station in Manhattan — one of the first subway stations in New York, which has been closed since 1945. The oath was administered by New York State Attorney General Letitia James, and Mamdani's wife, Rama Duvaji, stood next to him on the steps, while the new mayor's parents were also present at the ceremony. During the oath, Mamdani placed his hand on the Quran.
"It is truly the honor and privilege of a lifetime," Mamdani said in a brief speech, explaining the choice of the historic subway station for the symbolic ceremony as "a testament to the importance of public transportation for the viability, health, and legacy of the city."
The official oath ceremony will take place on Thursday afternoon in the square in front of City Hall. It will be officiated by Senator Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor's political idols, CNN adds.
34-year-old Mamdani made history as the first Muslim mayor of the city and the youngest person to hold the position in over a century.
Socialist Muslim Mamdani was elected mayor in early November. American President Donald Trump considered the choice of the city's residents a loss of part of the sovereignty of the United States. In response, Mamdani stated that he still considers Trump a "fascist" and a "despot."
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