A cousin of a firefighter who died in the Sept. 11 attacks on Thursday publicly urged political leaders to renounce slogans he called an invitation to violence, taking a veiled aim at New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
Mike Weinstein, 61, spoke at a Manhattan ceremony honoring his cousin, Stephen Belson, a veteran firefighter who died while rescuing people from the World Trade Center’s South Tower. Weinstein said all politicians should “firmly renounce terror and violence” and criticized those who refuse to condemn phrases such as “globalize the intifada,” saying such reluctance risks "inviting another 9/11."
"I know my cousin Steve and many, many others would agree with me when I say, let’s continue to press all politicians, including those who went home already, to firmly renounce terror and violence," Weinstein said. "When political candidates and public officials refuse to condemn global terror and phrases such as ‘globalize the intifada,’ they are inviting another 9/11, God forbid, and they continue to bring daily fear for all New Yorkers." He added, "Enough. Enough is enough," and called on every potential future mayor to "speak out against terror and unite as freedom-loving New Yorkers."
The phrase "globalize the intifada" has been used by activists advocating international support for Palestinian resistance against Israel and has been criticized by some as a call for violence against Israelis and Jewish communities. The slogan drew national attention during the Democratic primary season and was a recurring point of questioning for candidates on the campaign trail.
Mamdani, who secured the Democratic Party's mayoral nomination in June, drew scrutiny this summer for declining to condemn the phrase, saying at the time it reflected "a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights." In recent days, he said he would "discourage" that language and indicated his views had evolved after conversations with Jewish leaders who described the slogan's harmful impact on many Jewish New Yorkers.
Mamdani has sought to frame his position around universal human rights. In an interview this week on NBC, he said, "The language that I use and the language that I will continue to use to lead this city is that which speaks clearly to my intent, which is an intent grounded in a belief in universal human rights," and added that the slogan is "not language that I use."
Weinstein's remarks came during the 24th anniversary observances of the Sept. 11 attacks, a day when elected officials and families of victims often call for unity and remembrance. Family members of first responders and victims have previously pressed political leaders to adopt unequivocal stances against rhetoric they view as celebratory of violence.
The exchange underscores tensions in the city's mayoral politics over how candidates address the Israel-Hamas war, community relations and the balance between defending free speech and rejecting language that some view as endorsing violence. Mamdani's shift from refusing to condemn the phrase to pledging to discourage it followed increased scrutiny from critics and outreach from Jewish community leaders, according to his statements.
Campaign representatives for Mamdani did not immediately provide further comment beyond his recent public statements. Mayoralty candidates and their backers have faced heightened focus on their positions regarding national and international conflicts as the city contends with concerns about safety, communal tensions and public perception.
Weinstein ended his remarks invoking patriotism and unity, saying, "Twenty-four years later, we need all political candidates, including every single potential future mayor — and you know who I'm talking about — of this great city to speak out against terror and unite as freedom-loving New Yorkers. God bless America, land of the free and home of the brave."
