Overview: As the 25th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani — the city's first Muslim mayor — plans to attend the Ground Zero commemoration. Some families oppose his presence, citing his political views and past comments; an online petition has gathered nearly 80,000 signatures seeking to bar him. Others urge unity and caution against politicizing the ceremony. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum says it strives to keep the event dignified and nonpartisan.
Division at Ground Zero: Families Split Over NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Attendance at 25th 9/11 Commemoration
Names of those who died are engraved at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York and read aloud in a ceremony each year. - Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Twenty-five years after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, New York City is preparing for the milestone remembrance at Ground Zero — and the decision of Mayor Zohran Mamdani to attend has reopened painful divisions among families of the victims.
Why Families Are Divided
Zohran Mamdani, the city's first Muslim mayor, said he will "proudly honor" victims, survivors and first responders by standing alongside them at this year’s ceremony. Some relatives welcome his presence as a unifying civic act; others say his politics, past comments and associations would make his attendance hurtful and distracting.
Kris Hughes was killed in the South Tower. His family has attended the national memorial service but some years choose to remember and honor him more privately. - Elaine Hughes
"I don't know if I could stomach that," said Robert Hughes, whose son Kris died in the South Tower. "If he's going to come, I would venture to say a lot of people might not go."
Other family members urge restraint and compassion. Liz Miller, who lost her firefighter father, described the community as naturally diverse in opinion and called for unity: "Unity can represent itself as kindness and compassion towards others, even when you do think differently."
The Petition And The Controversy
An online petition started by Giovanni Galante, whose wife Grace was killed on 9/11, asks the 9/11 Memorial and Museum to consider barring Mamdani from official ceremonies. The petition, which has amassed nearly 80,000 signatures, cites objections to the mayor’s public positions on Palestinian rights, certain associations and his initial refusal to condemn the phrase "globalize the intifada." Supporters of the petition say such connections risk distracting from the memorial’s solemn purpose.
Douglas Miller, here with his young family, was one of the firefighters who went to help and never made it home. - Elizabeth L Miller
Mamdani’s critics say some of his comments and affiliations are hurtful to Jewish New Yorkers and survivors; his supporters and some families counter that opposing him on the basis of his identity or political views would amount to scapegoating Muslim New Yorkers, many of whom faced discrimination after 9/11.
Mamdani’s Response And Outreach
Mamdani, who was nine years old on 9/11, has spoken publicly about the Islamophobia and surveillance that followed the attacks and how those experiences shaped him. He has reaffirmed his intent to attend and to "stand alongside" families and first responders. A mayoral spokesperson said he is focused on bringing New Yorkers together and will not engage in division.
Rich Guadagno, pictured with his girlfriend Diqui LaPenta at Akaka Falls in Hawaii, spent his career working in wildlife refuges. - Diqui LaPenta
In the days leading up to the anniversary, the mayor visited multiple firehouses — including several in Staten Island and FDNY Rescue 1 in Manhattan, which lost nearly half its company on 9/11 — in an apparent effort to meet families and first responders directly.
Commemoration Protocol And The Wider Context
The 9/11 Memorial and Museum emphasizes that the annual ceremony aims to be nonpartisan and to provide a dignified environment for families. Government officials traditionally attend to bear witness; they are typically asked to remain in a designated area and do not deliver remarks.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, photographed during his election campaign, has spoken about his faith and how Muslims were impacted after September 11. - Mike Segar/Reuters
Some observers note that political controversy could draw attention away from unresolved issues that many families still face, including the stalled trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and ongoing questions about justice and accountability.
What’s At Stake
For many families, the anniversary remains a deeply personal time for mourning and remembrance. Whether or not to attend this year is a fraught choice: some say the mayor's presence would deepen their pain, while others argue that barring an elected city leader sets a troubling precedent and injects politics into a solemn civic ritual.
Ultimately, the debate underscores how the legacy of 9/11 continues to interact with contemporary political and social tensions — even a quarter-century later.
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