Families of 9/11 victims have launched a petition that demands New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani be banned from participating in anniversary events for the 2001 terror attacks.
The petition states, “Every year, thousands of family members gather at various sites to unite in their grief. It is a solemn occasion—one that members of this unfortunate group, along with millions of others, continue to honor, remember, and use to say: never again.”
“It is in this spirit that we, the family members of those murdered on 9/11, write to express our concern regarding the potential inclusion of Zohran Mamdani in the 25th-year commemorative events,” it continues, describing the upcoming anniversary as “one of remembrance grounded in shared American values: respect for the victims, recognition of the gravity of the attacks, and a clear rejection of the ideologies that contributed to such violence.”
“For many families and community members, participation in these ceremonies carries an implicit expectation that those present uphold and affirm these principles without ambiguity.”
The petition goes on to list concerns regarding Mamdani, including his support for or association with those who have made comments dismissive of American institutions, and links to those holding a radical Islamic ideology. Mamdani has also “endorsed candidates such as Aber Kawas, who described 9/11 as an attack ‘a couple of people did in the context of U.S. capitalism, racism, white supremacy, and Islamophobia,’ and who also expressed sympathy for Ahmed Ferhani, who pleaded guilty to plotting to blow up a Manhattan synagogue.”
Giovanni Galante, whose wife was among the victims on September 11, 2001, told the New York Post, “Our objection is based on his public record — his failure to meaningfully acknowledge the horror of that day, and his employment of, support for, or association with individuals who have minimized 9/11, defended terrorists, or even suggested America ‘deserved’ the attacks.”
“It is not political, and it is not a platform for those connected to such views. His presence would be deeply hurtful and inappropriate — like an unwelcome guest at a deeply personal ceremony,” he added.
