New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) weighed in on the phrase “Woke 1 was crazy,” originally said by City Council member Chi Ossé and echoed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). Speaking at an event breaking ground on the long-delayed Tremont Avenue busway in the Bronx on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, Mamdani emphasized that candidates running for office in New York and across the U.S. have a responsibility to state their beliefs.

In a clip shared by Newsday, Mamdani said, “And sometimes, what you believe can change and develop, it can grow, and I know that there are some for whom they still believe that.” He clarified his stance on policing, stating, “I’ve made very clear that I do not believe in defunding the police, that I will not be defunding the police.”

Mamdani highlighted the importance of collaboration for public safety, noting that working with the New York Police Department (NYPD) and other partners has contributed to the city recording the fewest murders and shooting incidents on record through the first seven months of 2026.

The phrase gained attention after Ocasio-Cortez paraphrased Ossé on ABC News’s “This Week” when discussing former Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong’s past positions. Ocasio-Cortez remarked on the significant shift in political discourse during the COVID-19 pandemic, describing it as a “huge opening of the Overton window” amid shutdowns and high unemployment. She added that while the discussions were “quite fruitful,” the rhetoric used during lockdown is not language that would be used today.

Sources