Hassan Naveed, the former executive director of New York City’s Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes, has filed a lawsuit against Mayor Eric Adams and the city, alleging he faced discrimination based on his religion and ethnicity during his tenure. The lawsuit, filed at the State Supreme Court in Manhattan, claims Naveed endured a hostile work environment, particularly after the October 2023 Hamas-led attacks on Israel, when his Muslim identity came under scrutiny. Naveed alleges that two superiors questioned him about his views on the attacks, including the controversial claim of “beheaded babies.”
In October 2023, Naveed and other Muslim colleagues met with Adams to address concerns over his aides sharing anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian content on social media. According to the lawsuit, Adams allegedly blamed Muslims for experiencing hate due to their perceived failure to condemn Hamas and compared pro-Palestine marches to “Ku Klux Klan protests.”
Adams, who has cultivated strong ties with Israel, terminated Naveed’s employment in April 2024. A spokesperson for the mayor stated that Naveed was dismissed for poor job performance and denied any discrimination. The lawsuit follows Adams’ recent controversial remarks endorsing Andrew Cuomo’s mayoral candidacy, where he warned against “Islamic extremism” and criticized his political opponent, Zohran Mamdani, as a “communist.”
Adams’ comments have drawn widespread criticism for being Islamophobic, with critics accusing him of perpetuating harmful stereotypes. The lawsuit and Adams’ statements have sparked a broader debate about religious and ethnic discrimination in New York City’s leadership.