Islamophobic Rhetoric Surges Online Amid New York City Mayoral Race, Report Finds

New York City — As Zohran Mamdani’s historic candidacy for mayor of New York City gained momentum this fall, so too did a wave of Islamophobic and xenophobic attacks across social media platforms, according to a new report released by the Centre for the Study of Organized Hate.

The report, published on November 3, documents more than 35,000 original posts on X between June 24 and October 31 that targeted Mamdani’s Muslim identity and political beliefs. The posts, authored by nearly 18,000 unique accounts, amassed over 7 million likes and 2 million reposts, reaching an estimated audience of 1.5 billion.

Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and the first Muslim candidate to secure a major party nomination for New York City mayor, became the focal point of what researchers describe as a “coordinated amplification” of anti-Muslim narratives. The report outlines four dominant themes: labelling Mamdani as a terrorist or extremist, promoting Islamization conspiracy theories, calling for his deportation or denaturalization, and questioning his patriotism.

October saw a dramatic escalation in online attacks, accounting for 43 percent of all Islamophobic posts during the campaign period. This marked a 450 percent increase compared to September, suggesting a strategic intensification as the election neared.

“Accusations of terrorism and extremism remain central to Islamophobic discourse,” the report states. “These narratives moved beyond criticism of an individual candidate and instead reflected a broader tendency to conflate Muslim identity with extremism.”

Among the most frequent tropes were claims that Mamdani’s election would usher in “Sharia law” or an “Islamic theocracy.” The term “taqiyya,” often misused by far-right groups to suggest Muslim deception, appeared in numerous posts. Memes and edited images portraying New York City as under Islamic rule circulated widely, echoing European far-right conspiracy theories such as Eurabia and the Great Replacement.

Key Findings

Between June 24 and October 31, we identified 35,522 original Islamophobic and Xenophobic posts authored by 17,752 unique accounts on X.
Original posts collectively received 7.37 million likes and 2.01 million reposts, generating an estimated reach of 1.5 billion.
Nearly four in ten accounts (39 percent) spreading Islamophobic or Xenophobic content were verified blue-badge users, generating almost 45 percent of all original posts.
Islamophobic narratives intensified over time, with October alone accounting for 43 percent of total posts, an increase of more than 450 percent compared with September.
Extremist and terrorist labeling dominated the dataset, representing approximately 72 percent of all original posts and framing Mamdani as a terrorist or radical threat.
Islamization conspiracies accounted for 2,868 posts (8 percent), advancing claims of “sharia law,” “Muslim takeover,” and other fear-based narratives.
Calls for Mamdani’s deportation and revoking citizenship comprised 4,055 posts (11 percent).
Patriotism and loyalty attacks included 3,085 posts (9 percent) from 2,293 authors, employing terms such as “traitor,” “enemy within,” and “anti-American.”

Verified accounts played a significant role in amplifying these narratives. Nearly 40 percent of the accounts spreading Islamophobic content held blue-badge verification, and they were responsible for 45 percent of the original posts analysed.

The rhetoric also veered into calls for Mamdani’s removal from the country. More than 4,000 posts demanded his deportation or the revocation of his citizenship. The term “remigration,” once obscure and largely confined to European far-right circles, gained traction in the dataset. It was used to advocate for the forced expulsion of Muslim immigrants and their descendants.

In a press conference on October 24, Mamdani addressed the surge in Islamophobic attacks, calling attention to the broader implications for Muslim civic participation. “This is not just about me,” he said. “It’s about whether Muslim Americans can fully participate in public life without being treated as enemies of the state.”

The report warns that such online hostility may have offline consequences. It cites recent incidents of political violence, including the shootings of Minnesota state officials and the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, as evidence of a growing climate of polarization and threat.

“Islamophobic attitudes have been normalized since 9/11,” the report concludes. “But the overt hate and exclusion directed at Muslim Americans today pose a serious barrier to democratic participation and public safety.”

The Centre for the Study of Organized Hate recommends that X implement stronger safeguards during election periods, enforce its hateful conduct policies, and introduce friction for repeat offenders. It also calls for improved transparency and data access for researchers, and greater accountability for verified users who spread harmful content.

With Mamdani now elected as mayor of New York City, the digital battleground that surrounded his candidacy has transformed into a broader reckoning with the role of Islamophobia in American political life. His victory marks a historic milestone for Muslim representation, but the volume and virulence of online attacks documented in the report underscore the persistent barriers faced by Muslim Americans. As Mamdani prepares to take office, civil rights advocates warn that platform accountability and civic protections must evolve to meet the challenges of a polarized and increasingly hostile digital landscape.