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Poet Cornelius Eady then recites his poem “Proof”.
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“We will protect the immigrants of this city,” Levine says.
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Levine notes that there are three swearings in today; one by a leader using a Qur’an, one using a Christian Bible, and one using a Hebrew Bible. “I’m proud to live in a city where this is possible,” he says.
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James says she is proud to be here to “usher in a new day for New York City”.
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Letita James, the New York attorney general, takes the stage to swear in Mark Levine, the comptroller. She also swore Mamdani in shortly after midnight.
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Mandy Patinkin takes the stage to The Beatles “Here Comes the Sun”, and performs “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”.
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“Let New York City continue to show the world what is possible when people believe in one another, and continue to show that respect, dignity and compassion are no longer for the few, but for the all, Amen,” he says.
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“Let hope be something we practice daily,” says Imam Latif. “The city belongs to all of us and our liberation is bound together.”
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Zohran Mamdani and his wife Rama Duwaji appearing on stage for his inauguration ceremony earlier.
Zohran Mamdani and his wife Rama Duwaji. Photograph: Tyrone Siu/ReutersShare
New York is a place that “a young immigrant democrat socialist Muslim can be bold enough to run and brave enough to win,” he says, “not by abandoning conviction, but by standing firmly within it.”
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Updated at 13.48 EST
Imam Khalid Latif, executive director of the Islamic Center of New York City, delivers the invocation, surrounded by a group of faith leaders from around the city.
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She closes her remarks by noting that Mamdani is the city’s first Muslim mayor, and its youngest and first immigrant mayor in a long time.
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New York has chosen ‘courage over fear’, says AOC
“The people of New York City have chosen historic, ambitious leadership in response to untenable and unprecedented times,” she says.
“New York, we have chosen courage over fear. We have chosen prosperity for the many over spoils for the few.”
Zohran Mamdani and his wife Rama Duwaji at his inauguration ceremony. Photograph: Heather Khalifa/APShare
Updated at 13.51 EST
AOC: Today marks ‘a new era’ for New York City
“Together, this ascent marks a new era for New York City, led by a historic new mayor in Zohran Mamdani,” she says, “guided by his dedication to a working class that makes our city run.”
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Updated at 13.43 EST
AOC takes to the stage to deliver her opening remarks.
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While we wait for the ceremony to get under way, a reminder that this time last year Mamdani, a virtual unknown, plunged into the freezing waves at Coney Island in a suit and tie, in a bid to gain traction for his campaign. “I’m freezing … you rent as the next mayor of New York City. Let’s plunge into the details,” he said.
Here’s a roundup of some of his best quotes:
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Here are some photos coming out of New York City as we wait for Mamdani’s inauguration block party to get under way.
A large screen displays Zohran Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, arriving. Photograph: Jeenah Moon/ReutersA band performs during a block party to mark the inauguration of Zohran Mamdani. Photograph: Tyrone Siu/ReutersSecurity personnel on a balcony on the day of the inauguration ceremony. Photograph: Jeenah Moon/ReutersPeople hold up their phones and react with excitement during the block party. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/ReutersA guest holds a program on the day of Zohran Mamdani’s inauguration ceremony. Photograph: Jeenah Moon/ReutersShare
Updated at 12.52 EST
Happy new year! In the wee hours of 2026, Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as the new mayor of New York City in a private ceremony in the abandoned beaux-arts subway station under city hall.
Zohran Mamdani is sworn in as mayor of New York City at the old city hall station. Photograph: Amir Hamja/Reuters
The democratic socialist, 34, was sworn into office by the New York attorney general, Letitia James, surrounded by wife, Rama Duwaji, members of his immediate family, including Mira Nair, his mother and a film-maker, and his father, Mahmood Mamdani, a professor of African studies at Columbia University.
And Mamdani, who becomes the city’s first ever Muslim mayor, was sworn in with a Qur’an. He told those present:
This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime. I cannot wait to see everyone tomorrow as we begin our term. After just having taken my oath to become the mayor of the city of New York, I do so also here in the old city hall subway station – a testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health, the legacy of our city.
The midnight ceremony will be followed by a 1pm ET public inauguration at city hall during which the new mayor will be introduced by fellow progressives Bronx Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and sworn in by Vermont senator Bernie Sanders.
We’ll be covering all that here, so stay tuned.
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Updated at 12.53 EST
