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Did Zohran Mamdani Really Just Say This About Why Incidents of Rape and Felony Assaults Have Increased?

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  July 14, 2026 1:45 PM

Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani is on record as wanting to defund the police. He also says violence is a social construct and is on the way to closing Rikers Island, the first of many prisons the socialists hope to abolish.

So when he was asked about the increased instances of rape and felony assaults in his city, his answer is as appalling as it is revealing.

"Believe the NYPD when they put forward their numbers, what we're seeing are some of the lowest numbers that New York City has seen in recorded history. Especially when it comes to murders and shootings," he said. "These are the lowest we've ever seen and what I think is important to know is a lot of the increase in rape comes from an expanding definition of what counts as rape as well as survivors coming forward for acts that took place years prior."

"I'm thankful for them coming forward," Mamdani continued, "the courage and the bravery it takes, but just to provide New Yorkers with that context. And I'm proud that in working with Commissioner Tisch, we were able to fulfill the two hopes that we had earlier in the year: to provide two different command centers in the Bronx as we do in Brooklyn and Manhattan and in Queens."

First, let's address the lower crime rates. As Townhall and others have reported, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's office routinely dismisses charges against criminals, downgrades felonies to misdemeanors, and rigs the numbers to make crime rates appear to go down.

Second, to blame the increase in rapes on an expanded definition belies the point. The 2024 'Rape Is Rape Act' that was signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul expanded the legal definition of rape to include non-consensual anal, oral, and vaginal contact. That means these rapes were happening, but New York state law didn't consider them crimes, or at least not on the level of rape or felony assault.

So the implication here is that Mamdani would brag about lower rape rates if the state of New York hadn't expanded the definition to include those legitimate victims of rape. It's simply incredible.

Then again, the Left believes rape is a credible tool of resistance, as they've gone so far as to dismiss the sexual atrocities of Hamas.

That (D)epends. As we've long argued, the reason Platner was booted is not that Democrats were appalled by the rape allegations. They knew Platner was going to lose.

All of this.

Well, when you run on a platform of 'public safety' that involves defunding the police, abolishing prisons, and setting criminals loose, you have to come up with a way to make it look like those failed policies are working. By declassifying crimes as crimes, you can deflate the numbers and cook the books.

With Mamdani, you will not get leadership, action, accountability, or justice. But you will get a bunch of deflection.

Is it unreal, though? This is who the Democrats are.

If this were a Republican, the media would be camped outside Gracie Mansion around the clock, demanding Mamdani apologize and resign. Every Republican from Albany to Austin would be asked to condemn statements that were so dismissive of sexual abuse and survivors.

But with Mamdani? Crickets.