New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is scheduled to attend the annual 9/11 Memorial ceremony at Ground Zero on Friday, defying a petition signed by approximately 110,000 people, including relatives of victims, who are requesting he not attend.
The ceremony, hosted by the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, is an invitation-only event for victims' families and invited guests. Vice President JD Vance and former presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush are also expected to be present.
The petition cites Mayor Mamdani's appointment of Ramzi Kassem as the city's chief legal counsel. Kassem previously represented Ahmed al-Darbi, an al-Qaeda operative who pleaded guilty to war crimes charges. According to the petition, the presence of individuals whose words or associations are perceived as conflicting with the solemn purpose of the event risks detracting from the day of mourning and causing additional pain for 9/11 families.
"The 25th anniversary should remain centered on remembrance, unity, and an unambiguous rejection of the violence and extremism that defined that day," the petition states. "Ensuring that all participants reflect these principles is essential to preserving the integrity of the commemoration."
Controversy surrounding Mamdani's attendance intensified after he handed a ceremonial pen, used for signing 9/11-related executive orders, to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and asked her to pass it to Kassem. This gesture was criticized on social media by some as disrespectful to the victims' families.
Mamdani has defended his decision to attend, stating, "I'm proud to be the mayor of this city. I love this city. I love this country. And what I want this week to be a focus on is on the families whose loved ones were stolen from them 25 years ago in the horrific act of terror of September 11th, and a focus also on the first responders who gave everything they could to this city and to the people who came together to try and help their fellow New Yorkers."
Mamdani has also faced criticism for past statements and associations, including his failure to denounce the phrase "globalize the intifada," his praise for an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and his association with Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who reportedly stated that America "deserved 9/11." Mamdani later called Piker’s comments "objectionable and reprehensible" and stated he would "discourage" people from using the phrase "globalize the intifada."
Former New York Governor George Pataki and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani have also publicly called for Mamdani to stay away from the ceremony.