The former fire commissioner of New York City during the September 11, 2001 attacks, Tom Von Essen, has advised Mayor Zohran Mamdani to refrain from attending the 25th anniversary memorial ceremony, citing concerns that his presence may upset victims' families. Von Essen stated, "It’s a rough day. The families don’t need any more angst and Mamdani is going to bring angst," in comments reported by The New York Post.
Von Essen, who oversaw the loss of 343 firefighters during the attacks, criticized Mamdani for a recent action involving his attorney, Ramzi Kassem, who previously represented an individual linked to al-Qaeda. Mamdani signed two executive orders related to 9/11 last week and handed the ceremonial pen to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who then passed it to Kassem. Von Essen interpreted this gesture as an intentional slight against the families of victims.
A petition on change.org has garnered over 100,000 signatures urging Mamdani not to attend the memorial, which he has stated he will do to honor the victims and first responders. Von Essen remarked, "He’s not big enough to stay away knowing he will be a distraction."
Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and ex-Governor George Pataki have also expressed their disapproval of Mamdani's attendance. Giuliani stated that the idea of Mamdani being present "offends me," while Pataki suggested that anyone associated with controversial figures should avoid the ceremony. Mamdani, who was nine years old during the attacks, has expressed his intention to focus on honoring the families and first responders during the memorial events. His office clarified that Kassem's presence at the signing ceremony was due to his official role in drafting the executive orders.