9/11 Families Bar Mayor Mamdani from 25th Anniversary

Families of victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks are publicly urging organizers to prevent New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani from attending the 25th-anniversary commemoration at Ground Zero, arguing his presence would be inappropriate and painful. A petition started by family members has gathered over 1,100 signatures, with organizers stating at least 300 are from relatives of those killed in the attacks.

The petition, organized by Giovanni Galante, whose wife Grace was among the nearly 3,000 people killed, asks the National September 11 Memorial Museum to reconsider Mamdani's potential attendance. Organizers contend the mayor's public record and associations conflict with the solemn purpose of the annual ceremony. They cite concerns including a perceived reluctance to clearly condemn certain phrases, associations with individuals they view as having minimized the attacks, and past appointments and endorsements they find objectionable. Galante stated that for families, September 11 is a sacred day of mourning, not a political platform, and that Mamdani's presence would be deeply hurtful.

In response, a spokesperson for the National September 11 Memorial Museum, Julie...