A petition calling on New York City Mayor Mamdani to refrain from attending the 25th anniversary ceremony of the September 11 attacks at Ground Zero has gained significant momentum, with over 66,000 signatures collected in less than three weeks. The petition, hosted on Change.org, urges the mayor to forgo the event amid concerns over his past remarks and associations, which some critics describe as insensitive to the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks.
The petition highlights objections to Mayor Mamdani’s reluctance to explicitly condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada” and his connections to individuals viewed as hostile to the United States. Among those cited is Ramzi Kassem, Mamdani’s chief counsel, who formerly represented an al-Qaeda-linked defendant. Organizers argue that the anniversary should be a moment of unified remembrance that reflects shared American values and rejects ideologies tied to the attacks.
Giovanni Galante, the petition organizer and widower of Grace Galante, who was killed in the attacks, said thousands of the victims’ family members have signed the petition. “This anniversary is one of remembrance grounded in respect for the victims and the gravity of the attacks,” he said. Galante warned that if the mayor attends, many family members may turn their backs in protest.
Support for the petition has come from a range of individuals affected by the tragedy. Angie Pesce of Staten Island, whose brother Danny died while working on the 104th floor of the North Tower, stated that the petition’s reach extends beyond family members to friends and supporters. Charles G. Wolf, who lost his wife Katherine in the attacks, criticized the mayor’s political views and associations with figures such as left-wing commentator Hasan Piker, who previously made controversial statements about the event.
Some first responders have also expressed their opposition. John Ryan, retired chief of the Port Authority Department of Emergency Services who led the rescue effort after 9/11, said he signed the petition and questioned the mayor’s past participation in commemorations. “Words are shallow, actions are what counts,” Ryan stated. However, not all share this view. Jim Smith, a retired NYPD officer whose wife Moira Smith was among the two female officers killed on 9/11, declined to sign, emphasizing that the anniversary should focus on the victims rather than political disputes.
Supporters of Mayor Mamdani have condemned the petition as Islamophobic and accused its organizers of overstating the level of opposition among victims’ families toward the mayor’s attendance. Nonetheless, outreach to more than 150 families by reporters found the majority either signed the petition or intend to do so.
As the anniversary approaches, the debate over Mayor Mamdani’s participation underscores lingering divisions within the community about how best to honor the memory of those lost on September 11, 2001. The mayor has maintained his plan to attend the event despite the growing controversy.