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.
Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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.
“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
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
Pinnacle, owned by billionaire Joel Wiener, controls more than 140 buildings and 9,000 units across the five boroughs.
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.
City lawyers argued in filings that Summit might not have enough money to fix the buildings, warning that “continuing losses and mounting expenses might lead to additional bankruptcies or reorganizations, a state of financial and social chaos potentially worse than the current situation.”
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.