Backlash grows as Zohran Mamdani joins boycott against ABC following Jimmy Kimmel's suspension

New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has announced he will not go to a televised town hall with WABC News on September 25. He said he is doing this because ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! after government pressure. Mamdani says the suspension is a threat to free speech.

Zohran Mamdani made this announcement in a news conference. He said the network’s decision is wrong and that when the media gives in to pressure, it hurts everyone’s right to speak. ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! after a controversial monologue by Jimmy Kimmel. The FCC chair had threatened broadcasters with regulatory action. Some ABC affiliate owners said they would stop airing the show, and then ABC removed the show indefinitely.

What did Zohran Mamdani say, and why did he withdraw?

Zohran Mamdani called the ABC town hall cancellation a stand for free speech. He said he could not go along with a network that gives in to what he called government intimidation. He accused Disney, which owns ABC, of putting profit above principle.

“ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel off the air after the FCC sought to pressure them,” Mamdani said. “The message that it sends to each and every American across this country is a message the First Amendment is no longer a right that can be counted on, but rather that it is government which will determine what should and should not be discussed, what can and cannot be spoken. And we cannot normalize these kinds of acts nor offenses. These must be the basis upon which we act.”

At the news conference, Mamdani spoke from Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park in New York. He said the location mattered because of the "Four Freedoms" speech by President Roosevelt, where free speech was named one of those freedoms.

He also noted that people who work on the show, writers, sound crew, and stage staff might be hurt by the suspension. Jobs and livelihoods are at stake, he said. Mamdani said the town hall had been planned for weeks. His campaign stated that the event was already being advertised, and there would be other town halls to follow.

Wider fallout and reactions

The decision by ABC and the FCC has triggered pushback from voices on both sides of politics. Some people argue that it is censorship, while others suggest it is a corporate fear of political power. Zohran Mamdani is not alone; others are also criticizing ABC and Disney for how they responded. There are protests in cities, and some demand that Disney stand up to government overreach.

Some legal experts say the case could test where the limits of free speech lie, especially when government threats or pressures are involved. They say people want clarity on how broadcasters are regulated and who sets rules about what can be said.

People in Zohran Mamdani's campaign and his supporters see this response as part of his identity. They point to his past work and statements about making the government more accountable and about fighting for rights. They see the town hall pull-out as consistent with his promises.

On the other side, there are those who question whether withdrawing from media events is effective. They worry about losing chances to reach people. Others say this may set a precedent that political voices will refuse interviews or forums. That could hurt public debate. (These concerns are being voiced by analysts and media watchers.)

Zohran Mamdani’s withdrawal from the ABC/WABC town hall is a protest against the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!. He says it is about protecting free speech and resisting what he calls government overreach. ABC and Disney have not immediately issued detailed responses. The situation is sparking debate on how much pressure government bodies can use on media, how media companies respond, and what it means for politics and free speech ahead of the election.

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