“Power, Politics, and Accountability” – Linda Sarsour Warns NYC Frontrunner Zohran Mamdani: “We’ll Be Watching You”

Palestinian-American activist Linda Sarsour has sent shockwaves through New York’s political scene after issuing a pointed warning to mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, vowing to “hold him accountable” to his campaign promises—including dismantling the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group, a unit that handles terrorism threats, protests, and riots. Speaking during a fiery Instagram livestream, Sarsour made it clear that her support for Mamdani’s historic candidacy as New York’s potential first Muslim mayor doesn’t mean unconditional loyalty. “Our friends on the inside need people on the outside to hold them accountable,” she said, emphasizing that she has no plans to join his administration but will instead “stay outside” as a watchdog for the movement that helped propel him to prominence.

A longtime mentor and ally of Mamdani, Sarsour has played a pivotal role in shaping his political trajectory. The two share deep roots in progressive activism, having canvassed together years earlier for socialist candidates under the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) banner. Through her nonprofit, MPower Action, Sarsour helped build the grassroots infrastructure that now backs Mamdani’s campaign—a coalition of more than 100 labor, Muslim, and South Asian groups working to elect New York’s first Muslim mayor. Yet despite their shared vision, tension has emerged over Mamdani’s decision to retain NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch if elected. “I wasn’t really happy about the news,” Sarsour admitted, warning that if Tisch fails to follow Mamdani’s reform agenda, “we’re going to have to go to Zohran and be like—you made the wrong decision.”

Sarsour’s remarks have reignited debate over the intersection of faith, activism, and politics in America’s largest city. Critics accuse her of overstepping by publicly pressuring a candidate she helped build up, while supporters applaud her insistence on accountability and transparency. For his part, Mamdani has remained silent, focusing his campaign on progressive reform and unity. Still, Sarsour’s message is unmistakable: political loyalty will not excuse broken promises. As she put it, “When Zohran gets inaugurated, he must remember those of us outside City Hall—the organizers, the activists, the people who got him there. Inshallah, this is the beginning of a new kind of politics.”