Hundreds of families who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001, have signed a petition demanding New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani be barred from the 25th anniversary ceremony at Ground Zero.
Story Snapshot
- More than 300 relatives of 9/11 victims signed a petition asking organizers to keep Mamdani away from the September 2026 ceremony.
- Petition organizer Giovanni Galante, who lost his wife Grace Catherine Galante in the attacks, calls the mayor’s record on 9/11 “unacceptable.”
- Critics point to Mamdani’s comments on the phrase “globalize the intifada” and his refusal to clearly condemn it.
- As mayor, Mamdani rescinded rules that limited boycotts of Israel and dropped a widely used definition of antisemitism on his first day in office.
- No memorial organizer or city official has publicly responded to the ban request.
Families Demand Action Before September
A petition tied to the New York Post’s reporting says the mayor should not stand among mourners at the sacred site this fall. Organizer Giovanni Galante told reporters his objection rests on Mamdani’s “public record” and his ties to people who have downplayed the horror of that day. He called the mayor’s presence an insult to nearly 3,000 people who died.
The petition does not stop at hurt feelings. It argues Mamdani has built a pattern of statements and associations that, taken together, clash with what the ceremony is meant to honor. Families say they want a promise from organizers that he will not attend, not just an apology or a clarification after the fact.
The “Globalize the Intifada” Controversy
Much of the anger traces back to a phrase Mamdani would not condemn outright. He told Politico in June 2025 that “globalize the intifada” is “not the language that I use,” but added that a mayor’s job “is not to police language.” NBC News reported he faced backlash for seemingly not rejecting the phrase, which critics say sounds like a call for violence.
His broader record adds fuel to the dispute. Mamdani founded a Students for Justice in Palestine chapter in college, has backed the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, and once said he would try to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if given the chance. CNN reported this history has split Jewish voters in New York, with some feeling they have no good choice at the ballot box.
First-Day Moves as Mayor Raised Alarms
Mamdani’s actions once in office gave critics fresh material. On his first day, he canceled his predecessor’s executive orders, including one that limited boycotts against Israel and another that adopted a common definition of antisemitism used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. Al Jazeera reported Palestinian advocacy groups praised the move as fair, while Israeli officials accused him of antisemitism the same day.
Mamdani has not backed away from the fight since. In June 2026, he doubled down on criticism of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, saying the group pushes an “immoral” status quo and moves “millions in dark money” through politics. That comment, reported by Al Jazeera, keeps his name tied to sharp anti-Israel language even as he governs the nation’s largest city.
BREAKING: Over 300 relatives of 9/11 victims have signed a petition urging organizers to ban Zohran Mamdani from the 25th anniversary memorial at Ground Zero.
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) July 26, 2026
What Remains Unclear
No memorial organizer, the Port Authority, or City Hall has issued a public statement on whether Mamdani will be kept away from the anniversary. The petition itself, while signed by hundreds, has not been shown to represent a unified stance among all 9/11 family groups, and no formal rule appears to give organizers clear authority to bar an elected official from a public commemoration.
The fight over Mamdani’s attendance shows how deeply symbolic disputes can overtake practical questions about who controls access to a memorial. Whether organizers address the petition directly or stay silent, the decision will likely be read by both sides as proof of exactly what they already believed about the mayor and the ceremony meant to honor the dead.
Sources:
youtube.com, aljazeera.com, politico.eu, nytimes.com, timesofisrael.com, jpost.com
