Families of 9/11 Victims Demand NYC Mayor Be Barred from Memorial Ceremony
Over 98,000 people signed a petition declaring Mayor Zohran Mamdani unwelcome at Ground Zero. Families are outraged by his ties to terror-linked figures and his counsel's involvement in drafting the 9/11 declaration.
Approximately one week before the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, a major political storm has erupted in New York City. As reported by the New York Post, over 98,000 people have signed a petition labeling Mayor Zohran Mamdani an "unwelcome guest" and demanding he stay away from the official memorial ceremony at Ground Zero.
The controversy intensified after it was revealed that the city's chief legal counsel, Ramzi Kassem, who previously represented Al-Qaeda terrorists, was involved in drafting the mayor's official 9/11 anniversary declaration.
Families Vow to Turn Their Backs
Giovanni Galante, the petition's organizer whose wife Grace was killed in the attacks, stated that if the mayor chooses to attend, he will face absolute silence and rejection.
Galante stated:
"Nobody is going to fight him at the gate, but if he tries to come over and shake hands, we will just completely ignore him."
Other relatives of the victims expressed deep anger. Jeanette Puccio-Pic, whose father was killed on the 94th floor of the South Tower, added that silence would be the most powerful protest against what she described as a political photo opportunity.
The petition outlines several key grievances against Mamdani:
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His refusal to condemn the slogan "Globalize the Intifada."
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His appearances alongside Imam Siraj Wahhaj, an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
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The appointment of Ramzi Kassem as the city's top legal adviser.
The Ceremonial Pen Controversy
Anger mounted following a ceremony in the City Hall's Blue Room, where executive orders establishing an official day of remembrance and strengthening counter-terrorism measures were signed. After signing, Mamdani handed the ceremonial pen to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, asking her to pass it to Kassem, who arrived 15 minutes late. Kassem was filmed smiling as he accepted the symbolic pen.
Kassem, 48, runs a legal clinic at the City University of New York (CUNY) providing free representation. He previously represented Ahmed al-Darbi, an Al-Qaeda operative imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay for his role in the 2002 bombing of a French oil tanker. Al-Darbi's sister was married to Khalid al-Mihdhar, one of the hijackers who crashed Flight 77 into the Pentagon.
Political Backlash
Michael Alcaraz, a retired NYPD detective and lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told the New York Post that the gesture felt calculated and inappropriate for an event meant solely to honor the victims.
City Council Member Joann Ariola (R-Queens) criticized the socialist mayor's actions as "incredibly detached and disrespectful":
"It shows exactly where his loyalties lie. The families who lost loved ones on September 11 have every right to be outraged. On the 25th anniversary, City Hall should have honored their sacrifice with the utmost respect, not forced them to endure another insult."
Council Member Vickie Paladino also condemned Kassem's involvement, calling his presence in any capacity related to 9/11 an insult to all New Yorkers and Americans.
