Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared alongside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during an Eid al-Adha celebration held at Macombs Dam Park in the Bronx on May 27, 2026.
Ocasio-Cortez wore a red patterned hijab while addressing attendees at the event, which drew members of the city’s Muslim community for one of Islam’s most significant religious observances.
Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor, also participated in the celebration, wearing a kurta that incorporated design elements resembling an Arsenal soccer jersey, a nod to both his cultural background and support for the English football club.
“I am honored to be New York City’s first Muslim Mayor and I am determined to lead through solidarity; together, we are working to ensure every New Yorker can afford the groceries, housing, and child care they need,” he told the crowd
Video from the Eid al-Adha celebration showed Ocasio-Cortez speaking about unity and solidarity with New York City’s Muslim community as she addressed attendees gathered for the holiday observance.
During her remarks, Ocasio-Cortez encouraged those in attendance to “renew our commitments to one another” and to help “bring light into darkness,” framing the celebration as an opportunity to strengthen community bonds and shared values.
Viral video clips circulated by several media outlets and social media accounts appeared to show groups of men in the crowd conversing among themselves while Ocasio-Cortez delivered remarks from the stage during the celebration.
As debate over her appearance later spread online, Ocasio-Cortez defended her decision to wear a hijab during the event, arguing that it was a sign of respect for constituents observing one of Islam’s most important holidays
The footage quickly became a topic of discussion online, with some commentators arguing that the scene highlighted an apparent tension between Ocasio-Cortez’s public advocacy of left-wing feminist causes and traditional gender norms that critics associate with interpretations of Islamic culture.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David Jones of the Southern District of New York recently ruled that the city could not intervene in the ongoing sale of properties owned by Pinnacle Group, one of the city’s largest landlords.
La députée Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez se voile lors d'une célébration de l'Aïd: «Vous portez le hijab volontairement à New York. Des femmes sont tuées en Iran pour l'avoir retiré» @AlinejadMasih pic.twitter.com/OtA4sUVBFd
— L'important (@Limportant_fr) May 29, 2026
Mamdani had directed the city’s Law Department to intervene, arguing the deal could worsen housing instability for thousands of tenants living in subsidized apartments.
Meanwhile, last month a federal judge has temporarily blocked Mamdani’s attempt to stop the bankruptcy sale of more than 5,000 rent-subsidized apartments across New York City, posing an early challenge to the socialist mayor’s housing agenda
But Jones rejected the city’s motion, saying the bankruptcy auction must move forward.
Court filings show Summit Real Estate Holdings has offered $450 million to buy roughly 90 of the company’s properties.
“Completion of the bankruptcy auction process will bring financial stability along with the opportunity to stabilize services, outcomes which we would expect the City would not want to disrupt,” said Ken Fisher, an attorney representing Pinnacle.
The company declared bankruptcy in May after defaulting on $560 million in loans, and the Mamdani administration has claimed it owes the city $12.7 million in unpaid housing code fines
Tenant groups opposing the sale say Pinnacle has neglected maintenance and allowed conditions to deteriorate, while others fear the new owners could raise rents or further reduce oversight.
The battle over Pinnacle’s holdings became a flashpoint during the mayoral race, where Mamdani campaigned on preserving rent-subsidized housing and protecting low-income tenants.
