ALBAWABA - A planned personal trip to Syria and Lebanon by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, has stirred the waters in New York after allegations that she may get police protection during the trip.
Duwaji will travel to the region in September to reconnect with her family’s heritage. The tour is taking place although U.S. travel recommendations advise against traveling to Syria and urge caution in Lebanon because of persistent security concerns.
Her visit has attracted public attention amid allegations that New York Police Department (NYPD) officers will be deployed to accompany her on the trip. The notion aroused questions about whether city resources were used to provide protection for family members of elected politicians on private trips abroad.
NYPD promptly rejected reports, stating department policy does not allow officers to be assigned to personal vacations in nations with highest U.S. travel warnings. No security detail was allowed for Duwaji's visit, officials noted.
Later in the day, Mayor Mamdani addressed the situation, saying it was a misunderstanding within his team and that his wife would travel without NYPD protection.
Born in the United States to Syrian parents, Duwaji was raised in Dubai before returning to the States to pursue a career in the arts. Much of her work is concerned with themes of identity, heritage and the experience of women in the Middle East.
The issue over police protection seems to have been addressed, but Duwaji's impending journey has generated public curiosity about his past and raised wider questions about security preparations for the families of senior public officials traveling overseas.
