Families of victims from the September 11 attacks are advocating for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to be prohibited from attending the 25th anniversary ceremony at Ground Zero. The group cites Mamdani's alleged connections to radical associations and his statements regarding Islamic extremism as reasons for their request.
A petition on Change.org has collected over 5,200 signatures, including more than 300 from family members of 9/11 victims. The petition argues that Mamdani's presence would dishonor the memory of those killed in the attacks. Organizer Giovanni Galante, who lost his wife in the attacks, emphasized that the ceremony should remain a space for mourning and not a platform for political figures.
The petition raises concerns about Mamdani's public record, including his associations with individuals perceived as radical and his failure to condemn certain phrases related to violence. It also mentions his previous comments blaming the U.S. government for radicalizing certain individuals, which some critics view as shifting blame away from perpetrators.
City Hall has indicated that Mayor Mamdani intends to attend the ceremony despite the petition and the objections raised by the families.