Zohran Mamdani fans disappointed by disastrous ‘block party’ with no food, bathrooms
- - Zohran Mamdani fans disappointed by disastrous ‘block party’ with no food, bathrooms
Desheania Andrews, Hannah Fierick, David PropperJanuary 1, 2026 at 10:08 PM
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Collage of a crowd watching an inauguration ceremony, a man and woman on stage, and confetti falling over a crowd in front of a building.
This “block party” was a bust.
Scores of Zohran Mamdani fans who braved freezing temperatures to celebrate the new mayor as he was publicly sworn into office Thursday were left disappointed by the bash the socialist pol had promised.
Around 10,000 supporters stood outside City Hall during the event — billed as an “Inauguration for a New Era Block Party” by Mamdani’s staff — crammed into several barricaded pens without access to bathrooms or any food concession stands.
Mamdani supporters watching the mayor speak at the inaugural “block party” at City Hall. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon
“It’s definitely not a block party,” said Danny Mahabir, 30, an Astoria resident who told The Post he’d been expecting a mix of food and music at the New Year’s Day festivities.
Instead, Mahabir, who wore three layers of clothes to stay warm, said he and others are “just stuck behind the barricades watching it on TV.”
Around 10,000 supporters stood outside City Hall during the event, which the Mamdani administration labeled a “block party.” Matthew McDermott
Revelers observed speakers including New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders on a series of big TV screens set up along Broadway, as 4,000 invited guests sat more comfortably in City Hall’s outdoor plaza to witness Mamdani take the oath of office.
While Mamdani fans were still excited for the new administration to get underway, they weren’t impressed by the supposed “block party” on a frigid day when temperatures dropped to the mid-20 degrees.
“It’s not exactly what I was expecting,” said Brooklyn resident Shane Turner, 30. “I was expecting food and music.”
Many supporters were not impressed with the event, pointing out its lack of festivities. Michael Nagle
“I could’ve watched this from home,” added a 25-year-old Queens woman, who declined to give her name.
Follow The Post’s live coverage of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s inauguration
Security lines also dragged at times as confusion delayed entry for some.
Security lines also dragged at times as confusion delayed entry for some. Michael Nagle
One woman, who did not want to be identified, said Thursday morning leading up to the ceremony that she had been waiting to get into the viewing area for about 90 minutes.
“The police officers have not been informed about anything, they don’t know which entrance or where anything is,” she said. “I’m really, really unhappy.”
Attendees were asked to arrive by 11 a.m. ahead of the 1 p.m. ceremony, which started over 30 minutes late.
The ceremony also started over 30 minutes late. AFP via Getty Images
Mamdani’s camp billed the event as a public block party along the historic Canyon of Heroes that would have designated viewing areas for “tens of thousands to gather and participate in the ceremony, ensuring the day belongs to all New Yorkers.”
But his team also warned on their website there would not be portable restrooms “due to safety concerns” and “no food for sale within the block party.”
While Mamdani officials advised attendees there were nearby markets and eateries for grub, attendees needed to leave the barricaded pens and go through security again to re-enter.
Mamdani’s team also warned on their website there would not be portable restrooms “due to safety concerns” and “no food for sale within the block party.” REUTERS
Two Mamdani volunteers at one point raced to the bathroom at a nearby Pret a Manger while other spectators even took refuge in nearby stores to stay warm while he was talking.
Still, most people who showed up remained passionate believers in the new socialist mayor.
“I’m not disappointed,” Turner, the Mamdani devotee from Brooklyn, said. “I came here to witness history. The past four years felt like hell under the previous mayor.”
— Additional reporting by Steven Vago
Source: “AOL Breaking”
