Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City just after midnight Thursday, taking the oath of office at an historic, decommissioned subway station in Manhattan.

Mamdani, a Democrat, was sworn in as the first Muslim leader of America´s biggest city, placing his hand on a Quran as he took his oath.

'This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime,' Mamdani said in a brief speech.

The ceremony, administered by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a political ally, took place at the old City Hall station, one of the city´s original subway stops that is known for its stunning arched ceilings.

In Mamdani's first speech as mayor, he said the old subway station was a 'testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health and the legacy of our city' as he announced the appointment of his new Department of Transportation commissioner, Mike Flynn.

The new mayor then closed: 'Thank you all so much, now I will see you later,' he said with a smile before heading up a flight of stairs.

Mamdani will be sworn in again, in grander style, in a public ceremony at City Hall at 1pm by US Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor´s political heroes. That will be followed by what the new administration is billing as a public block party on a stretch of Broadway known as the 'Canyon of Heroes,' famous for its ticker-tape parades.

But the Democratic socialist has released a lengthy list of items barred from the event, some expected, others raising eyebrows.

Zohran Mamdani took the oath of office to become New York City's new mayor just after midnight on January 1

The ceremony, administered by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a political ally, took place at the old City Hall station, one of the city´s original subway stops that is known for its stunning arched ceilings

While weapons, explosives, and illegal substances are banned, the list also prohibits strollers, Flipper Zero devices and Raspberry Pis, two pieces of consumer technology that are legal and widely used.

The former is a small handheld gadget that can interact with wireless signals such as key fobs, RFID cards and Bluetooth devices, often described as a Swiss Army knife for hacking. 

A Raspberry Pi, meanwhile, is a tiny, low-cost computer commonly used for coding, electronics projects and basic software.

Both devices feature programmable input-output pins that could, in theory, be connected to external components and misused to interfere with equipment or cause harm. 

However, tech experts noted that explicitly banning these niche devices is unusual, especially given that laptops, which are far more powerful and versatile, are not restricted.