New York City Mayor Eric Adams apologized for a gaffe during an Indian Independence Day event, during which he repeatedly confused India and Pakistan.
Adams spoke onstage at the Queens 9th India Day Parade, celebrating the 78th anniversary of India’s independence from the British Empire. Surrounded by people from the Indian diaspora, Indian flags, and banners reading, “Mayor Adams Celebrates the Indian Community,” the New York mayor referred to India as Pakistan three separate times, drawing corrections from the crowd.
“We raised the flag earlier this week at Bowling Green. … And I think no greater symbol of what you offer to this community than the men and women who are part of the law enforcement community, who are here, the Pakistani officers, who are continuing to grow in their numbers and ranks as they continue to show that public safety is the prerequisite to our prosperity,” he said, PTI reported.
“So I thank you for allowing me to come here. I’ve known this community for so long, from Little Pakistan and Queens, Little Pakistan and Brooklyn, you are a major foundation of our entire city,” he continued. “So let’s continue to celebrate your independence.”
So great to be with our Indian community in Queens today for their annual parade celebrating their independence!
These New Yorkers are an essential part of our city, and we are proud to work with them every day. pic.twitter.com/9t6ICiFCE6
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) August 17, 2024
“India — it’s India!” one person from the crowd shouted.
A city spokesperson told the New York Post that Adams was quick to go back on the stage afterward and apologize for his mistake.
“And made clear he was proud to be there to celebrate India’s independence,” the spokesperson added.
Adams had celebrated Pakistan’s Independence Day sometime prior.
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India and Pakistan, formerly a single country under the British Raj, split in 1947. Muslims and Hindus became unable to resolve their differences, resulting in a period of violent conflict as Muslims fled to West and East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, and Hindus fled to India. Since independence, India and Pakistan have fought five wars, the most recent in 1999, as well as had dozens of skirmishes and war scares. The last war was one of two in history in which two nuclear powers fought in a conventional war.
Adams is known for his ethnic outreach attempts, separately declaring that New York City is the Zagreb, Port-au-Prince, Athens, Istanbul, Kyiv, Seoul, Tel-Aviv, Islamabad, Lima, Mexico City, and Dublin of the United States.