9/11 Families Petition to Ban Mayor Zohran Mamdani from Ceremony

Families of September 11 victims have launched a petition demanding that Zohran Mamdani be banned from the 25th-anniversary commemoration at Ground Zero. Organizers Giovanni Galante and Cheri Sparacio allege the New York City mayor is an apologist for Islamic terror, citing his refusal to condemn the phrase 'globalize the intifada' and his associations with figures such as Imam Siraj Wahhaj, attorney Ramzi Kassem, and commentator Hasan Piker. The petition also points to Mamdani's endorsement of candidates who have expressed sympathy for terrorists.

The campaign gathered over 1,100 signatures initially, with numbers later growing to between 5,000 and 6,000. Queens Councilwoman Joann Ariola offered to assist the families in bringing their concerns to the City Council. Allies of the mayor have characterized the effort as Islamophobic.

The National September 11 Memorial and Museum, the independent non-profit managing the ceremony, stated it aims to keep the event non-partisan and noted that sitting mayors typically attend as witnesses without delivering remarks. A spokesperson for the mayor confirmed that Mamdani still plans to attend the ceremony to honor survivors, first responders, and the families of victims.