New York Gov. Kathy Hochul drew sharp criticism Friday after ordering 16 state landmarks, including Manhattan’s One World Trade Center, to be illuminated in green to mark Muslim American Heritage Month. The decision to light the skyscraper built at the site of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks sparked backlash on social media, with critics calling the move “tone deaf” and “disgusting,” The New York Post reported.
“The twin towers were unable to be lit green tonight,” Queens Republican Councilwoman Vickie Paladino wrote on X.
“It’s disgusting that the Freedom Tower – which stands at the World Trade Center site – is lit in green to celebrate Islam,” Defense of Freedom Institute spokeswoman Angela Morabito wrote in a post on X.
“What ‘contributions of Muslim communities’ are you honoring here, Governor?” Morabito continued. “The time the worst among them killed thousands of innocent Americans?”
Hochul signed a proclamation Friday declaring January as Muslim American Heritage Month in New York for the first time.
“The resilience, compassion, and contributions of Muslim communities help make our state stronger,” Hochul wrote on X, alongside photos of One World Trade Center and other buildings illuminated in green, a color considered sacred in Islam.
The lighting sparked disbelief among some social media users.
“There must be some mistake, this can’t be real??” one user wrote.
Political activist Drew Pavlou questioned the decision, writing, “Lighting up the new World Trade Center in the colors of Islam is a bit much, don’t you think.”
“Of all the tone deaf things, this is the deafest,” another user wrote.
Hochul said New York is home to the largest Muslim American population in the nation and described the state as a “beacon of hope, tolerance, and inclusivity.”
She said the initiative is intended to celebrate Muslim New Yorkers while protecting them from Islamophobia, hate, bias, and harm.
A press release from the governor’s office included a statement from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who was sworn in Thursday and is the city’s first Muslim mayor.
“While I was proud to be sworn in as our city’s first Muslim mayor yesterday, Muslims have been part of New York for centuries,” Mamdani wrote.
“We have built small businesses, raised our families, pursued every profession, enriched our culture and cuisine, and been a part of what makes our city what it is today,” he added.
“I am grateful for Governor Hochul’s leadership in recognizing these many contributions and ensuring that every January, Muslim New Yorkers can see ourselves reflected and recognized in a city and state that is also our home.”
Other landmarks Hochul ordered to be illuminated green include the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, Grand Central Terminal’s Pershing Square Viaduct, Albany International Airport Gateway, the MTA LIRR East End Gateway at Penn Station, and the Roosevelt Island Lighthouse.
Israel’s government on Friday accused newly sworn-in New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of antisemitism after he revoked all of former Mayor Eric Adams’ executive orders issued since Adams’ 2024 indictment — including two measures explicitly supportive of Israel.
“On his very first day as mayor, Mamdani shows his true face: He scraps the IHRA definition of antisemitism and lifts restrictions on boycotting Israel,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry wrote on X. “This isn’t leadership. It’s antisemitic gasoline on an open fire.”
The ministry’s rebuke followed widespread criticism from Jewish groups and New York Republicans who argued Mamdani’s actions would weaken protections for the city’s Jewish residents.
The IHRA definition, used by the U.S. State Department since 2010, characterizes antisemitism as “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews,” including the “demonization or application of double standards to Israel.” According to the Anti-Defamation League, more than 1,000 institutions worldwide have adopted the standard, describing it as the international consensus.
