New York City Mayor Eric Adams sharply criticized Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s longstanding advocacy to decriminalize prostitution, questioning how someone who identifies as religious could support the practice.
Mayor Eric Adams Criticizes Zohran Mamdani
“I can’t be more clear. I’m a man of God, just as Mamdani says he’s a Muslim. I don’t know where in his Quran it states that it’s okay for a woman to be on the streets selling their body,” Adams told reporters Sunday.
“I don’t know what Quran he is reading. It’s not in my Bible,” he added. “As a man who said he is of faith, I don’t quite understand what religion supports prostitution.”
Islam, Mamdani’s faith, explicitly prohibits prostitution under its moral laws.
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What Has Zohran Mamdan Said About Prostitution in The Past?
Adams’ remarks follow reporting by The Post highlighting Mamdani’s previous efforts to amend the statute criminalizing the sale of sexual services in New York. Mamdani has championed the issue multiple times since his 2020 run for the state assembly and has consistently supported it since. However, the 33-year-old Socialist has largely remained silent on the topic during his mayoral campaign.
Critics have expressed concern that Mamdani could push for legal prostitution if elected in the fall. Adams argued that such a move would ignore the harsh realities of sex work and its association with crime.
“I think he’s lost on the fact that sex trafficking is very much part of prostitution,” Adams said. “We are trying to bring down crime and he is talking about legalizing sex work.”
“You’re not doing any service to a woman who is on the street who is forced to sell her body for whatever reason,” he added. “No one should be on our streets selling their bodies. No one.”
Prostitution Legalization Debate
Supporters of legalized sex work often argue it can protect workers’ rights and safety. However, studies in regions where prostitution has been legalized – including Nevada and parts of Europe – suggest human trafficking can increase to meet demand, alongside other forms of organized crime.
During his tenure as a Queens assemblyman, Mamdani co-sponsored several bills to legalize prostitution statewide. While he would still need the state legislature to enact any changes, an elected mayor could use the platform to advocate for reform and potentially deprioritize NYPD enforcement against prostitution.
Some observers have even warned that New York could become a hub for sex tourism, drawing comparisons to Amsterdam’s Red Light District, if Mamdani were to pursue legalization.
Mayor Adams, running for reelection against Mamdani as an independent, said such changes would pose a danger to the city.
“If that is his belief, it is a danger for our city,” Adams said. “Our city needs to be a safe city. It should not be a city where women are standing on corners, or boys are standing on corners, or young men standing on corners selling their bodies.”
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
