New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing criticism after presenting a ceremonial pen from a 9/11 remembrance event to his chief counsel, Ramzi Kassem, who previously represented a convicted al-Qaeda member. The incident has prompted outrage among some 9/11 families, with calls for Mamdani to be barred from the 25th-anniversary ceremony in September.
Mamdani signed executive orders on Friday, the eve of the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, designating the date as a citywide day of remembrance and service and reinforcing measures to prevent future terrorist threats. Following the signing, Mamdani handed the pen to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who then passed it to Kassem.
Kassem had previously represented Ahmed al-Darbi, a Guantánamo Bay detainee who pleaded guilty to war-crime charges related to al-Qaeda plots against commercial ships. Al-Darbi is also the brother-in-law of Khalid al-Mihdhar, one of the hijackers on American Airlines Flight 77, which struck the Pentagon.
The decision to give the pen to Kassem drew immediate criticism on social media platforms. Users argued that Kassem's involvement detracted from the solemnity of the occasion meant to honor victims and first responders. Some characterized the act as a "slap in the face to victims" and a deliberate gesture that undermined the 9/11 commemoration.
City Hall stated that Kassem attended the ceremony in his official capacity as chief counsel, as he and his team were responsible for drafting the executive orders. Kassem also founded a CUNY legal clinic that offers free legal representation to Muslims. His past representation includes Mahmoud Khalil, a leader of the pro-Palestinian encampment at Columbia University who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Giovanni Galante, who lost his wife Grace on 9/11, organized a petition seeking to ban Mamdani from the upcoming anniversary ceremony, citing the mayor's public record and alleged attempts to minimize the significance of the attacks.