By 5 Towns Central Staff

NEW YORK, N.Y. (July 30, 2026) — A rapidly growing online petition spearheaded by family members of September 11 victims has surpassed tens of thousands of signatures, calling for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to be barred from participating in the upcoming 25th anniversary commemoration at Ground Zero.

Organized by relatives of those who perished in the 2001 terrorist attacks, the effort expresses profound objection to the mayor’s presence at the milestone remembrance service. Petition organizers argue that past statements, public affiliations, and political partnerships made by the administration fail to align with the solemn dignity required for the annual memorial. Particular concerns were raised regarding the mayor’s associations with controversial public figures and commentators who have previously minimized the significance of the attacks or voiced hostility toward domestic security institutions.

Supporters of the initiative, which includes hundreds of family members who lost loved ones in the World Trade Center towers, maintain that the Ground Zero ceremony must remain a sacred space focused exclusively on honoring victims, first responders, and survivors. They urge event coordinators at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum to restrict official participation to individuals whose public record reflects an unambiguous rejection of extremist ideologies.

In response to the mounting public pushback, administration representatives confirmed that the mayor still intends to attend the upcoming gathering. City officials emphasized that attendance is meant to honor the memory of those lost, support surviving families, and reaffirm the city’s collective commitment to solemn remembrance alongside all New Yorkers. Despite these assurances, campaign organizers continue to seek broader support from community leaders and local officials to enforce a prohibition on political figures whose past associations remain a point of pain for grieving families.