Over 50 people gathered in Washington Square Park on Sunday afternoon for a public debate led by anti-democratic socialist organizers, who argued against mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s affordability and minimum wage proposals.

The event resembled a Charlie Kirk-style debate, where dissenters approached a table and microphone and debated one of four hosts for around five minutes. It was held by #WalkAway Foundation, a nonprofit that encourages Americans to “leave identity politics behind.”  

“We just want to have civil discourse and conversation. On college campuses it’s very one-size fits-all, and if you don’t fit in that box, you could be canceled,” Dwayne Moore, a 2024 New York State Assembly Republican candidate, told WSN. “But when we stop talking, or we just say that one side blanket has the moral authority, then we can get ourselves in some bad situations.”

Some audience members wore “Make America Great Again” hats and waved American flags, and one held up a “WE ARE Charlie Kirk” poster. The organization also propped up signs that read “BLACK LIVES DON’T MATTER TO DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS” and “SOCIALISM = SLAVERY.” Around 10 New York City Police Department officers surrounded the event.

Other debaters included Brandon Straka — who founded the #WalkAway foundation in 2018 and was pardoned by President Donald Trump for his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot — and Joseph Hernandez, a New York City mayoral independent candidate and bioteach entrepreneur.

The #WalkAway Foundation also set up a table with a sign that read “Say No to Socialism, No to Mamdani,” where volunteers addressed questions about voting and registered visitors to vote in the upcoming election. A representative of the organization said that despite its non-partisan affiliation, the #WalkAway Foundation strongly discourages individuals from voting for Mamdani. 

Moni Mohan, an attendee and 34-year New York City resident, debated with people in the audience about why “socialists and the communists are not working.”

“If Mamdani becomes mayor, people will suffer,” Mohan told WSN. “We lose our freedom, the crime will be higher, the tax will be higher and the economy will be bad. Small businesses will be affected by his ideologies — that is not going to work.”

This event is one of several New York City rallies hosted by the foundation. On Aug. 17, they hosted their first event in Union Square, followed by an Aug. 30 event in Washington Square Park and a Sept. 12 rally in Athens Square Park in Queens. 

With about five weeks until the Nov. 5 election, Mamdani is leading the polls. On Sunday, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams dropped out of the race, leaving former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa as his primary opponents.   

Jennifer Jesus contributed reporting.