New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced backlash from Polish American leaders after declining an invitation to the Pulaski Day Parade, an annual celebration on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. He also drew criticism for replacing the traditional Polish Heritage Night at Gracie Mansion with a broader “Eastern European” reception, according to the New York Post.
“Polish Americans are one of the largest European ethnic communities in America. Lumping Poles, Ukrainians, and Russians together shows shocking historical ignorance and disrespect,” said Grzegorz Fryc, a longtime NYC Polish activist and business leader. “Mayor Mamdani couldn’t be bothered to attend the Pulaski Day Parade, and now his administration wants to replace the traditional Polish Heritage celebration at Gracie Mansion with some generic ‘Eastern European’ event.”
