Mayor Zohran Mamdani Attends 9/11 Memorial Amid Calls to Stay Away

Mayor Zohran Mamdani attended Friday's September 11 memorial ceremony at Ground Zero, drawing criticism from several victims' families and former officials who had asked him not to be present. A petition signed by more than 110,000 people, including families of those killed in the attacks, requested that the mayor stay away, citing his past associations with controversial online personalities and his appointment of Ramzi Kassem, a lawyer who previously defended a Guantánamo detainee linked to an al Qaeda plot.

Former New York Republican Governor George Pataki and former FDNY Commissioner Thomas von Essen were among those who publicly urged Mamdani to skip the ceremony. Walter Matuza, whose father died in the North Tower, said the mayor's appearance was “disrespectful” and “offensive.” A former New Jersey police officer, identified as Mike, added that Mamdani’s prior rhetoric made his attendance questionable.

Other attendees expressed differing views. One participant, John, said Mamdani had the right to be there and would be acceptable as long as he behaved respectfully toward the families and first responders. The mayor previously stated that his focus during the week would be on the families of the victims and the first responders who acted on September 11.

During the ceremony, Mamdani was seen greeting former mayor Rudolph Giuliani before Giuliani took his seat. All living former U.S. presidents attended the event, while President Donald Trump visited a separate remembrance at the Pentagon before traveling abroad.