Latest news with #IslamicPoliticalActivism
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Ex-Mamdani intern sparks row: Hadeeqa Malik calls protests ‘jihad'; confronts Muslim NYPD officer
Screengrab A recent video has surfaced of Hadeeqa Malik, a City College of New York (CCNY) student and former intern with New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, making controversial remarks during a CUNY4Palestine webinar titled Islamic Political Activism. In the video, which was shared on Malik's LinkedIn nearly ten months ago, she describes protest participation, including the risk of being doxed, arrested, or suspended, as part of 'jihad', reported New York Post. She also questions fellow Muslims who choose not to take part in activism, suggesting that they are failing in their duty. According to her LinkedIn profile, Malik interned at Mamdani's office in summer 2024, where she worked on communications, outreach, and constituent services. A photo on her profile shows the two smiling together. Malik is currently the president of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at CCNY and lists herself as an outreach coordinator for CAIR (Council on American–Islamic Relations) and a racial justice fellow at the Colin Powell School. She has participated in pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University and other venues. A second video that has also resurfaced shows Malik confronting a Muslim NYPD officer during a protest. In the clip, she criticising him for working with the police while bearing a Muslim identity. The original video of the webinar has since been made private, but it has been reposted by other users online.
News18
15-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
‘True Muslims Know...': Zohran Mamdani's Ex-Intern Calls Political Activism 'Jihad'
Last Updated: Hadeeqa Malik, ex-intern for Zohran Mamdani, faced backlash after calling activism against Israel's Gaza war "jihad". A former intern for New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani faced backlash on social media after a video surfaced of her describing political activism against Israel's war in Gaza as 'jihad" as she urged Muslims to risk arrest, suspension and doxing for the cause. Hadeeqa Malik, a City College of New York student and activist, made the comments during a CUNY4Palestine webinar titled Islamic Political Activism. In the clip, widely shared on social media, Hadeeqa Malik said, 'The true believer knows that none of this is in vain, that this is all jihad, this is all ibadah (worship)." She went on to encourage Muslims to stop fearing the consequences of activism, including doxing or suspension from school, saying, 'I think it's time for Muslims to start to say, 'All right, so what? Do what you want. I'm going to do what I got to do.'" In the video, Hadeeqa Malik criticized those who had not joined the movement against what she called 'settler colonialism" and 'Israeli oppression" in Gaza, where more than 58,000 Palestinians have been reported killed over the course of a 21-month war, including in recent attacks on aid distribution points. 'If you're not seeing this as your issue to deal with, then something is wrong," she said, adding, 'There is an illness… something messing up the system inside." She also challenged Muslim activists directly, asserting, 'If you get suspended, if you get doxed… it will never, ever be in vain. And the true believer does not fear that." Hadeeqa Malik's Comments Under Scrutiny Hadeeqa Malik previously served as an intern in Zohran Mamdani's New York State Assembly office during the summer of 2024, working on communications, policy and constituent services. A photo on her LinkedIn profile shows Hadeeqa Malik and Zohran Mamdani smiling together. Zohran Mamdani has not commented publicly on the video or Hadeeqa Malik's remarks. Who Is Hadeeqa Malik? Hadeeqa Malik is currently studying international relations and human rights and leads the Students for Justice in Palestine chapter at City College. She also works as an Outreach Coordinator for CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) and serves as a Racial Justice Fellow at the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership. In a separate incident earlier this year, Hadeeqa Malik was filmed confronting New York police officers at a pro-Palestine rally, where she appeared to single out a Muslim officer. 'Let's read the badges of the pigs," she shouted while reading officers' names aloud, adding, 'To the pigs who can call themselves by the name of Islam- put some respect on their names!" Footage of the confrontation was widely shared on social media. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: July 15, 2025, 20:30 IST
