Overview
- The Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs marked February 1 with an X post calling the hijab a symbol of faith, identity and pride for those who choose to wear it.
- The reaction intensified this week as users invoked Iran’s crackdown and the legacy of the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests against mandatory veiling.
- Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad condemned the timing and accused Mayor Zohran Mamdani of standing with oppressors while women in Iran face arrests and violence.
- French author Bernard-Henri Lévy and economist Timur Kuran criticized the post’s tone, warning that official praise can overlook persecution and marginalize Muslims who reject the headscarf.
- Supporters framed the message as opposing Islamophobia and affirming voluntary choice, and as of the latest reports there was no direct response from Mamdani’s office.