A growing number of 9/11 families are urging Mayor Zohran Mamdani to refrain from attending this year's 25th-anniversary memorial ceremony at Ground Zero. A Change.org petition demanding the mayor skip the event has garnered over 62,000 signatures.
The petition cites Mamdani's past remarks, including his reluctance to condemn the phrase "globalize the intifada," and his associations with individuals such as his chief counsel, Ramzi Kassem, who has represented an al-Qaeda tanker-bombing pilot. Organizers state the anniversary is a time for remembrance grounded in "shared American values: respect for the victims, recognition of the gravity of the attacks, and a clear rejection of the ideologies that contributed to such violence."
Giovanni Galante, whose wife Grace was killed in the attacks, is an organizer of the petition. He estimated that thousands of family members of the 2,977 victims have signed on and warned that many may turn their backs in protest if Mamdani attends. "They don't want to look at him," Galante said.
Other family members expressed similar sentiments. Charles G. Wolf, whose wife Katherine was killed on 9/11, alleged that Mamdani has alienated victims' families by pushing an "anti-American agenda" and associating with figures like Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who reportedly once stated that "America deserved" the terror attacks. Wolf, whose own advocacy for victims' families was depicted in the Netflix film "Worth," believes Mamdani "doesn't want the United States to exist as it does today."
Members of the FDNY and other first responder agencies have also voiced their opposition. Tom Van Essen, the city fire commissioner during and after 9/11, signed the petition. Retired Port Authority chief of department John Ryan, who led rescue operations for nine months after the attack, also signed, questioning the mayor's presence at previous memorials.
While many signatories expressed strong feelings, some noted reservations about politicizing the event. Retired NYPD officer Jim Smith stated he did not sign the petition because "Sept. 11 should not be about politicians. It should be about the people that we lost that day and continue to lose — and their families." He added, "Petitions like this just take away from those heroes. The honorable thing would be for people who are distractions not to show up."
Despite the significant opposition, Mamdani has reportedly brushed off the criticism and intends to attend the ceremony. The New York Post reported contacting over 150 families, with a handful disagreeing with the petition and dozens more supporting it but declining to be named due to fear of reprisals. The majority of family members contacted, however, confirmed they signed or intended to sign the petition.
Family members shared personal stories of their loved ones lost on 9/11, highlighting their lives and the impact of their deaths. Maureen Santora, mother of firefighter Christopher Santora, stated, "He has never supported the 9/11 community – ever." Louis Massari, whose wife Patricia was pregnant when she died, believes the mayor's presence would stir additional emotions for grieving families and urged him to "de-escalate." Angela Pesce, whose brother Danny died at Cantor Fitzgerald, fears Mamdani's attendance could lead to "craziness" on the 25th anniversary, disrupting the solemn mourning she wishes to observe.
Jeannette Puccio-Pick, whose father Joseph Pick died in the South Tower, questioned Mamdani's understanding, saying, "The families just want one day to themselves. Shouldn't we – the loved ones – get to choose who we want or don't want there?" Denise Matuza, widow of Walter Matuza Jr., described the memorial site as "our gravesite for our husbands and wives" and felt Mamdani's attendance would be disrespectful due to his associations.
Monica Iken-Murphy, a 9/11 Memorial & Museum advocate whose husband Michael died, believes only politicians who have been involved in the healing process from the start should attend the anniversary, emphasizing that "families have their time." Nicolas Haros Jr. stated that Mamdani's presence would be "worse than a slap on the face" and that he "should skip it as he did the Israel Day parade."
Lori Shertzer Brody, whose brother Scott perished, said she finds Mamdani "very antisemitic" and believes his "loyalty stands with the terrorists." She suggested he "could do the proper thing and bow out."