Viral Flag Removal Video Falsely Tied to Zohran Mamdani’s Election Win
Claim
A video circulating across social media platforms such as X, TikTok, and Instagram has been widely misrepresented to create a false narrative surrounding New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. The video shows an individual climbing a streetlamp and tearing down American and United Nations flags, with claims suggesting it was an act of celebration by Mamdani’s Muslim supporters following his victory in the 2025 Democratic mayoral primary. These claims, amplified by some right-wing groups including the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), are entirely false and misleading.
Origin of the Video
Through video verification and reverse image searches conducted by CyberPoe’s research team, it was confirmed that the viral footage does not originate from 2025 or have any connection to Zohran Mamdani’s campaign or supporters. Instead, the clip was recorded on November 10, 2023, during a pro-Palestinian protest in New York City. This demonstration took place amid the heightened tensions following the Israel–Hamas conflict that began in October 2023.
The individual seen climbing the lamp post was identified as a 17-year-old protester, whose actions involved the removal and damage of several flags displayed on a New York street. At the time, the incident drew attention from multiple news outlets that covered the protest from various angles, confirming the event’s date and context. The New York Police Department (NYPD) verified that the protest occurred in November 2023 and that the suspect involved was detained shortly after the incident. This information directly contradicts the viral claim that the video depicted an event from 2025.
Misrepresentation in 2025
The video resurfaced in mid-2025 after Zohran Mamdani’s decisive win in the Democratic primary on June 24, 2025. The timing was exploited by certain online groups and disinformation networks to falsely associate the old protest video with Mamdani’s electoral success. The misleading claim suggested that Muslim supporters, allegedly celebrating his win, were responsible for tearing down U.S. and UN flags a narrative designed to provoke outrage and reinforce Islamophobic tropes.
This is not an isolated instance. Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim and self-identified socialist politician, has faced recurring disinformation campaigns targeting his faith and political stance. In multiple cases, unrelated videos of Muslim gatherings and protests have been misrepresented to attack his image. CyberPoe’s investigation also found that unrelated footage from religious processions in Iraq was misused online around the same time to fabricate “celebrations” linked to Mamdani’s supporters, further illustrating a pattern of coordinated misinformation aimed at discrediting him and stirring cultural tensions in New York City.
Conclusion
After analyzing the metadata, cross-referencing timestamps, and verifying visual elements in the footage, CyberPoe confirms that there is no connection whatsoever between the viral flag removal video and Zohran Mamdani’s campaign, supporters, or the 2025 Democratic primary. The incident took place in November 2023, more than a year before Mamdani’s election, during a pro-Palestinian demonstration that bore no political or personal link to him.
The claim falsely tying the footage to Mamdani’s supporters is a clear example of misinformation weaponized for political polarization, exploiting social media virality to distort public perception. CyberPoe urges users to verify the origins and timelines of viral videos before drawing conclusions or spreading unverified narratives, especially during politically sensitive periods.
Final Verdict: False / Misleading
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