Gov. Kathy Hochul faced some boos and hecklers giving her a thumbs-down as she marched uptown in Monday’s 82nd annual Columbus Day parade in Manhattan.
Hochul, one of 35,000 participants, was flanked by Italian-American luminaries, Attorney General Letitia James and Catholic leaders as the parade wound its way past St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
The 68-year-old Democratic governor, who was raised Catholic, got her share of support but did endure a few Bronx cheers from some disgruntled observers.
“Get out of New York, get out of there. You’re a disgrace,” yelled one belligerent parade delegate, dressed in a business suit and an Italian flag sash.
“You hate Italians and Catholics,” he added.
Another berated her with taunts of “communist,” video showed.
Notably absent from the parade was Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who sat out the celebration of Italian-American contributions to the city due to his ideological opposition to Christopher Columbus.
It was the second major parade Hizzoner sat out in his first year in office — he also opted not to march in the Israel Day Parade this spring.
Hochul, who is up for election next month, posted photos from the event and said on X she was honored to celebrate Italians’ “rich culture and traditions,” although she notably did not mention Columbus Day by name.
“We’ve got to celebrate Italian-Americans,” the Democrat told reporters before the start of the march.
“I am delighted to be here for my fifth or seventh time marching with my best friends,” she said. “We are gonna celebrate the food, the culture, the music, the vitality of the Italian community, so we are going to celebrate Italian American Heritage Month through the month of October.”
US Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island) blasted Hochul and Mamdani as “pathetic” in a social media post after the parade.
“New York has the largest Italian population in America and we have a Governor and a Mayor who can’t say, ‘Happy Columbus Day!’” she said. “As the Italians say….DISGRAZIA!”
Hochul, who took office in 2021, is facing off against Republican Bruce Blakeman as she seeks a second, complete four-term in the reliably blue Empire State.
Election Day is Nov. 3.
Additional reporting by Steven Vago, Amber Roldan and Carl Campanile
