Pressure on Zohran Mamdani mounts: His allies demand firing of NYPD commissioner

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faces growing pressure from socialist allies and pro-Palestinian activists demanding the firing of Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, following an ICE agent shooting incident. 18 elected officials signed a letter calling for the dismantling of a police response unit and ending cooperation with ICE.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing growing pressure from the left wing of his political coalition. Socialist allies and pro-Palestinian activists are demanding he fire NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. The calls intensified following an ICE agent shooting on Thursday, in which a Dominican man sitting in his car was wounded while his five-year-old son was in the back seat. Darilyn Avila Chevalier, who won the Democratic primary with Mamdani's support, called for dismantling the police's strategic response unit and demanding Tisch resign. 17 additional elected officials and candidates signed a letter stating that Tisch must stop police assistance to ICE operations and dismantle the unit, and if she does not, she should be fired. Conversely, Mamdani's decision to keep Tisch in her position was received as a calming move among moderate factions and established Jewish organizations. Tisch, who defines herself as a "proud Zionist," was originally appointed by her predecessor Eric Adams. The anti-Zionist organization Jewish Voice for Peace joined the calls for her removal. Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian activists confronted Mamdani at an event marking October 7, calling him a "traitor" and "Ziohran," and accusing him of genocide.