Mamdani’s Arsenal kurta was a symbol of faith and fandom — and a clever move

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani in his Arsenal themed kurta for an Eid celebration.

Ashley Fetters Maloy

Last week, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani attended an Eid al-Adha celebration in the Bronx wearing a dark-blue kurta with red stripes - modeled after the away jerseys for the London pro soccer team Arsenal FC. Promptly, the right-wing X account End Wokeness posted a photo of Mamdani kneeling in prayer alongside other men wearing kurtas, thobes, kameezes and kufis: “Imagine telling a NYer in 2001 … this is an image of their future mayor,” the post read.

Some responses delivered precisely the hateful rhetoric the post seemed to call for. Others met the moment with wit and recognition instead.

“If i lived in nyc i’d be livid. i simply can’t accept a gooner for a mayor,” one user deadpanned, using a well-known slang term for Arsenal fans, a play on the team’s “Gunners” nickname.