New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin announced a deal to end the city’s horse-drawn carriage industry. A vote scheduled for next week by the pair targets legislation banning these operations beginning in June 2028. This move targets a century-old tradition in Central Park after a fatal accident involving an 18-year-old tourist named Romanch Mahajan in June.
Animal rights activists have long criticized the industry, citing viral videos of horses collapsing. The new legislation, dubbed “Romanch’s Law,” aims to stop carriage rides but allows owners to keep or sell their horses. Owners cannot send animals to slaughter or an “inhumane purposes,” yet they lose the right to work them in the city.
Industry Leaders Push Back
Leaders in the carriage business argue the city is unfairly attacking their livelihoods. Frank Riccobono, owner of NYC Horse Carriage Rides, told Fox News that the criticism ignores the bond between owners and animals. He noted that pedicabs fly around freely while horse carriages face elimination. With pedicabs flying around, why are they allowed to operate a business? Riccobono asked.
Riccobono owns 12 horses and three carriages, describing the work as raising a child. He shared a personal moment with the animals to highlight the emotional cost. “I had horses give birth in front of me,” he said. I owned their mother and now hold their baby, which feels like a child is being taken from me. He claims the bill criminalizes workers simply because a horse is working.
The financial hit to these owners is severe and offers no government help. Riccobono purchased a medallion, which is a license to operate, for nearly $400,000. “I am going to take a very, very big loss here and there’s no reimbursement in this bill,” he stated. He argues that the city is forcing a 168-year-old tradition to surrender without reason.
Polish Community Feels Snubbed
Mayor Mamdani has also faced backlash from Polish American leaders for skipping the Pulaski Day Parade on Oct. 4. The mayor declined an invitation to the annual event celebrating Polish pride on Fifth Avenue. Instead, his office sent invites for a generic “Eastern European” reception on Oct. 22 at Gracie Mansion.
Many Poles reject the “Eastern European” label due to its historical ties to Soviet communism. Grzegorz Fryc, a longtime activist, told the New York Post that grouping these nations together shows a lack of respect. Among American ethnic groups, Polish Americans represent one of the largest European communities. Fryc raged that combining Poles, Ukrainians, and Russians displays shocking historical ignorance and disrespect.
The mayor also canceled a breakfast tradition started by former Mayor Eric Adams to honor Polish heritage. One community leader told the New York Post that the mayor must represent everyone, not just his chosen groups. The socialist mayor “needs to understand that he was elected to represent all New Yorkers, not just the communities he chooses to show up for,” the leader said.
Mamdani was asked about his schedule three days before the parade during a press conference in Brooklyn. He told Polish-language Radio RAMPA that he did not know if he could attend. “We will get back to you,” he claimed, though he ultimately did not show up. The New York Post reported that participants in the parade view this as a direct insult to their community.
