'Die Hard' star Robert Davi slams Zohran Mamdani over map omission: 'Go back to where you belong'

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Actor Robert Davi has joined the growing backlash against Mayor Zohran Mamdani after New York City released an immigrant enclave map that left out Little Italy, prompting criticism from Italian-American groups and community members.

The controversy gained fresh attention on Friday when Davi, best known for his role in ‘Die Hard’, posted a fiery video on X accusing the mayor of ignoring the contributions of Italian immigrants while recognizing several other immigrant communities across the city.

The dispute centers on a City Hall map titled “New York City Immigrant Enclaves,” which identified neighborhoods such as Little Palestine, Little Egypt and Little Africa but omitted historic Little Italy.

Robert Davi accuses Zohran Mamdani of erasing Italian-American heritage

Davi did not hold back as he addressed the controversy in a lengthy social media rant.

“My grandparents came from Sicily and Naples and they taught me, speak the English. This is America. God bless America,” the actor said.

He then reflected on his family's history and the role immigrants played in building New York City.

“My grandfather enlisted in World War I and got wounded three times … he helped build New York City as an immigrant, an Italian immigrant,” Davi said.

The 75-year-old actor also pointed to his own roots in the city, stressing that he understands New York's diverse communities.

“I was born in Astoria, Queens, you jerk. I understand the lifeblood of New York City and the immigrant populations and all peoples,” he added.

Robert Davi targets Zohran Mamdani in fiery social media video

As his criticism intensified, Davi directly addressed Mamdani and questioned the mayor's approach to New York's cultural history.

“Go back to where you belong, Mamdani, go back to where you belong and run for office there,” Davi said during the video.

The actor's comments quickly drew attention online as the debate over the map continued to spread across social media and political circles.

Davi also criticized Mamdani over a separate issue, accusing him of disrespecting the Catholic community by skipping the installation Mass for New York Archbishop Ronald Hicks at St Patrick's Cathedral earlier this year.

Little Italy omission sparks backlash from Italian-American groups

The controversy was not limited to Davi's remarks. Several organizations had already expressed concerns after Little Italy was excluded from the map.

According to reports, groups including the Italian American Civil Rights League accused the administration of overlooking and erasing the city's Italian-American heritage.

Davi echoed those frustrations in his video.

“And what you did to the Catholic Church by snubbing the Archbishop. You jerk,” he said. “What you did, snub Little Italy, and you wanna take down the statues.”

The criticism appears to have had an impact. After facing mounting backlash from community groups and public figures, Mamdani reportedly said his administration now plans to add Little Italy to the immigrant enclave map.