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Giant Middle Finger Statue Goes Up Outside NYC City Hall Targeting Mamdani

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A six-foot middle finger statue showed up outside New York City Hall Monday in one of the more bizarre political protests the city has seen in recent memory.

The stunt was carried out by Staten Island activist and performance artist Scott LoBaido, who unveiled the sculpture on a stone pedestal in Lower Manhattan as a small crowd gathered nearby. The display was aimed squarely at New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the 34-year-old progressive mayor who took office on January 1 after a controversial election victory that reshaped the city’s political landscape.

LoBaido is no stranger to headline-grabbing demonstrations. Over the years, he has become known for patriotic and politically charged stunts across New York City, including painting American flags on retired NYPD vehicles, organizing anti-migrant protests, and famously throwing pizza onto the steps of City Hall during prior demonstrations. His latest installation may be his most direct shot yet at City Hall leadership.

The oversized hand sculpture appeared designed to channel growing frustration from critics of Mamdani’s aggressive fiscal agenda. Since taking office, the mayor has pushed a series of left-wing tax and spending proposals intended to close looming budget gaps and fund expanded city services. One of the most controversial measures was a new tax targeting luxury second homes and high-end vacant properties.

Critics say the policy risks driving wealthy investors and corporations out of New York altogether.

That concern intensified after billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin reportedly threatened to reconsider a planned $6 billion Manhattan office development amid fears that New York was becoming increasingly hostile to business investment. Griffin, who previously moved Citadel’s headquarters to Miami, has repeatedly criticized high-tax policies in major blue cities.

LoBaido’s statue appears to tap directly into that anxiety, presenting the gesture as symbolic of what many opponents think businesses, taxpayers, and working New Yorkers increasingly feel toward City Hall.

Photos and videos circulating online showed the statue positioned prominently near City Hall while tourists, office workers, and activists stopped to take pictures. Social media clips from LoBaido and local radio personality Sid Rosenberg quickly spread across Instagram and Facebook Monday morning.

Mamdani has found himself at the center of several major controversies in recent days as his progressive agenda continues to divide residents, business leaders, and political groups across the city. Mamdani recently announced plans for New York City’s first city-run grocery store in the Bronx, part of a broader initiative to create publicly backed grocery locations aimed at lowering food costs in underserved communities.

Mamdani is also facing backlash over his positions related to Israel and antisemitism concerns. Jewish organizations and community leaders criticized the mayor after official City Hall social media accounts posted a Nakba Day video, with some groups reportedly planning to boycott an upcoming Jewish Heritage event at Gracie Mansion.

Additional criticism erupted after Mamdani vetoed a proposal that would have created protest buffer zones around schools, with opponents arguing the decision could leave Jewish schools more vulnerable during demonstrations.

Meanwhile, the mayor’s administration is pushing a major housing reform package known as “SPEED,” which aims to accelerate affordable housing construction by streamlining permits and environmental reviews.

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