New York Mayor Mamdani has faced criticism from Polish American community leaders after declining to attend the annual Pulaski Day Parade on October 4, a longstanding event celebrating Polish heritage along Fifth Avenue. The mayor’s decision to forgo the parade and replace a traditional Polish Heritage breakfast reception at Gracie Mansion with a broader Eastern European celebration has drawn accusations of disregard for the Polish community’s distinct cultural identity.
Polish activists and business leaders in New York expressed strong disapproval of the mayor’s approach. Grzegorz Fryc, a prominent Polish American figure, described the move as demonstrating "shocking historical ignorance and disrespect," noting that many Polish Americans reject the label “Eastern European” due to its associations with Soviet communism and the Warsaw Pact. Fryc criticized the mayor for skipping the parade and for grouping Polish Americans together with Ukrainians and Russians in a generic event scheduled for October 22 at the mayoral residence.
Another Polish community leader also voiced frustration, emphasizing that the mayor was elected to represent all New Yorkers and accused Mamdani of selectively engaging with certain ethnic groups. The leader described the mayor’s treatment of Polish Americans as "absolutely disgraceful."
During an unrelated press conference in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood on October 1, Mamdani was asked if he planned to attend the Pulaski Day Parade. He responded that he was uncertain due to scheduling conflicts and promised to follow up. However, his publicly posted schedule for October 4 showed him participating only in a 5 p.m. church service, several hours after the parade had commenced and after related events concluded.
Sources familiar with City Hall’s planning revealed that earlier in 2024, the administration initially intended to include Polish Americans within a broader Eastern European heritage program. Reaction from Polish leaders prompted then-Mayor Eric Adams to pivot, arranging a separate Polish Heritage event at Gracie Mansion later that year. Mamdani, who took office in January, has reportedly avoided several ethnic parades, including those honoring Italian Americans, who were upset over his absence at Columbus Day events. In contrast, Mamdani has attended parades celebrating Pakistani, Sikh, West Indian, and African American communities.
City Hall spokesperson Jimmy Wyderko declined to explain the rationale behind grouping Polish Americans with other Eastern European groups but stated that the mayor remains “deeply grateful and proud of the contributions Polish Americans have made towards our city.” The controversy adds to a growing list of ethnic groups expressing dissatisfaction with the mayor’s engagement with New York’s diverse communities.