Horse-drawn carriage drivers accuse Mamdani, Menin of hypocrisy for deal to ban industry

All bets are off.A handful of angry horse-drawn carriage drivers in danger of unemployment rallied in Central Park Friday to demand the city trot back on its promise to kill the iconic and historic industry.Nine union workers accused Mayor Zohran Mamdani of hypocrisy for brokering a deal that would kill their jobs, arguing the supposed working-class champion’s actions would drain their savings, destroy small businesses and endanger their families.“Before you became mayor, you participated in a 15-day hunger strike to support yellow taxi medallion owners facing financial ruin … Now you are mayor, and we face the prospect of losing our businesses without guaranteed compensation,” fumed Atakan Aktay, a 13-year veteran driver who says he plunged his life savings into his business.“Where is that same compassion for us? How can you fight for one group of medallion owners while allowing another group to face financial devastation? To us, that feels hypocritical and humiliating,” Aktay railed.“We will not quietly surrender our life savings.

We will fight for our families and our futures.We are not asking for special treatment.

We are asking for fairness, dignity, and justice.”The rally at the park’s 59th Street and 7th Avenue entrance called for Mamdani, City Council Speaker Julie Menin and other politicians to enter back into negotiations with TWU Local 10 rather than plow forward with the current Romanch’s Law.The bill — which Menin pledged to pass next week — would make horse-drawn carriages illegal to operate in the five boroughs beginning June 2028.The legislation also states the city must create a workforce transition program involving career counseling and job referrals in the public and private sectors.But the bill falls short of offering compensation for the workers, some of whom have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars to build up their businesses, according to their union.“This is not a plan.It’s a concept of a plan that somet...