Mayor Zohran Mamdani got the cold shoulder from Rep. Adriano Espaillat \u2014 as Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch forced a smile during an awkward press appearance Friday, body language experts said.<\/p>\n
Espaillat \u2014 who lost\u00a0 the Democratic primary last month after Mamdani backed his far-left challenger <\/a>\u2014 snubbed the mayor while taking the podium at an NYPD security briefing about the National Dominican Republic Day Parade.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, commissioner,\u201d Espaillat said, warmly acknowledging Tisch, who was spotted putting her hand on his shoulder and exchanging a look with the outgoing congressman before the news conference started.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd thank you to the New York City Police Department. Chief Ramolez, Chief Rivera. I know them both, and I know the great work that they did both in Northern Manhattan and the Bronx,\u201d Espaillat said \u2014\u00a0while failing to mention Mamdani.<\/p>\n Mayor Zohran Mamdani holds a security briefing about the National Dominican Day Parade. Erik Pendzich\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n \u201cI started my public service career as president of the 34th precinct community council back in the \u201980s, when crack ravaged northern Manhattan,\u201d Espaillat, the first Dominican American\u00a0politician in Congress,\u00a0said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI know firsthand the great work that the police department has done, the men and women of the police department have done throughout the years.\u201d<\/p>\n The 34-year-old democratic socialist mayor\u2014 who wasn\u2019t yet alive in the 1980s \u2014 stood stiffly next to the 71-year-old five-term congressman with a strained smile.<\/p>\n Espaillat\u00a0added that he was there to \u201cexpress my full support to the police department,\u201d\u00a0which Mamdani sharply criticized<\/a> before taking office.<\/p>\n As the two men crossed paths on stage, they did not make eye contact or acknowledge each other, experts said.<\/p>\n