New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he will attend this year’s 9/11 memorial despite some family members of the victims demanding that he stay away.
During a Monday press conference, a reporter referenced a New York Post report revealing that hundreds of those who were related to people who died in the terrorist attacks do not want him to attend and asked for his reaction.
“I will proudly honor the families, the survivors, the first responders forever impacted by that horrific terror attack by standing alongside them at this year's 9/11 commemoration, reaffirming that we will never forget the solemn day felt by all of us who call this city home, and frankly, by all of us who call this country home,” he replied.
Zohran Mamdani reads off a script as he ignores the wishes of 9/11 survivors.
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 27, 2026
REPORTER: How do you feel about survivors asking you not to go to memorial services?
MAMDANI: "I will proudly honor the families, the survivors, the first responders...by standing alongside them." pic.twitter.com/A0BbL4qpFk
The New York Post reported that some of the families of 9/11 victims launched a petition demanding that Mamdani be barred from attending the 25th anniversary ceremony at Ground Zero, referring to his public record and the individuals he associates with.
The petition has drawn signatures from some 300 families, among thousands of others who feel the same way. They point to concerns over his reluctance to unequivocally condemn antisemitic phrases such as “globalize the intifada” and Mamdani’s support for those viewed as apologists for radical Islamic extremism.
They also point to writings by Mamdani’s father arguing that suicide bombers should be “understood as a feature of modern political violence rather than stigmatized as a mark of barbarism.” Organizer Giovanni Galante, whose wife Grace Catherine Galante was killed in the attacks, said: “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.”
He added: “This day is sacred to us. 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.”
The Change.org petition has garnered more than 5,200 signatures, including over 300 from family members of 9/11 victims, and emphasizes that the anniversary should remain centered on remembrance, unity, and an unambiguous rejection of the violence and extremism that defined that day.
9/11 Families Demand Mayor Mamdani Be Barred from 25th Anniversary Ceremony at Ground Zero
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) July 25, 2026
Families of victims are calling for NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani to be kept away from the sacred 25th anniversary remembrance at the former World Trade Center site, describing him as an… pic.twitter.com/uDOljhm4jI
Cheri Sparacio, whose husband Thomas was killed on 9/11, said there are “so many other examples” why it would be “disrespectful” for Mamdani to attend the ceremony that “we couldn’t fit them on the list,” pointing to his ties to communist commentator Hasan Piker, who once said America deserved the attacks.