Socialist Minneapolis mayoral candidate Omar Fateh waves Somali flag at rally

Socialist candidate for mayor in Minneapolis Omar Fateh appeared on stage at a recent rally in Minneapolis where he waved the Hiiraan State flag from Somalia and spoke to supporters in a foreign language. The clip was going viral on X this week after it was posted.

The clip featured Fateh on the campaign trail, where he chanted "Somalia" as well as other slogans in a foreign language. He said that "early voting" starts on "November fourth" and that he needed the audience members to vote for him in order to win.

Fateh has been called the "Mamdani of Minneapolis" because of his similarities with socialist candidate for New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. They have called each other friends, and both have ties to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). 

Fateh has previously held rallies where he has appealed to being Somalian with supporters. The Somalian community held a campaign rally for Fateh earlier in the summer, where one supporter of the politician got up and yelled into the microphone in Somali.

He has also posted campaign announcements in Somali.

According to his official government profile, Fateh describes himself as a “democratic socialist” and serves as the state senator representing Minnesota’s District 62. His initiatives have included proposals to designate Minneapolis as a “safe haven” for gender-affirming surgeries and abortion services. He has also advocated for raising the minimum wage, similar to efforts led by Mamdani in New York.

He has also advocated for a so-called "rent stablization" policy that would likely be another phrase to freeze rents, another policy similar to Mamdani.