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NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Faces Petition to Bar Him from 9/11 Memorial Amid Israel‑Related Controversy
Families of the September 11 2001 attacks have gathered tens of thousands of signatures on a Change.org petition urging New York City to bar Mayor Zohran Mamdani from the 25th‑anniversary ceremony at the National September 11 Memorial. The petition, launched by Giovanni Galante, a widower of a 9/11 victim, reports more than 35,000 supporters, including about 300 victims’ families, who argue that Mamdani’s past remarks and associations – such as his reluctance to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada,” his father’s comments on the attacks, and his appointment of former al‑Qaeda defender Ramzi Kassem as chief counsel – make his presence unacceptable.
Mamdani has said he will attend the ceremony, describing the day as a solemn reminder that the nation will never forget the tragedy. He also reiterated that protecting New York’s Jewish community is a top priority. At the same time, the mayor has intensified criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him a “war criminal” and urging the United States to enforce the International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him. Netanyahu responded on Fox News, accusing Mamdani of “fomenting hate” and linking the mayor’s rhetoric to a recent Upper West Side stabbing that injured a Jewish man and an Asian man; the suspect, Raul Morales, has been arrested on attempted‑murder and hate‑crime charges.
Jewish community leaders, including Orthodox Union Executive Vice President Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph, warned that Mamdani’s statements could incite further violence, while Republican Representative Randy Fine labeled the mayor a “terrorist.” The mayor’s 18‑member judicial advisory panel has also drawn criticism for lacking any Jewish members. The controversy has drawn extensive coverage across U.S. and international media.
Entities
9/11 Memorial & Museum · Benjamin Netanyahu · Chok Sung · Council on American‑Islamic Relations · Council on American‑Islamic Relations (CAIR) · Giovanni Galante · International Criminal Court · Morton Klein · Moshe Yezhak Grunhaus · New York City · Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph · Raul Morales
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced he will attend the 9/11 25th‑anniversary ceremony despite the petition. www.jns.org
- [● 7 SOURCES] The petition has gathered more than 1,100 signatures, including about 300 from relatives of 9/11 victims. www.gbnews.com · vinnews.com · www.liberoquotidiano.it · news.az · www.worthynews.com · +2 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] The National September 11 Memorial & Museum says the ceremony is intended to remain non‑political and that officials attend only as witnesses. vinnews.com · news.az · www.worthynews.com · www.foxnews.com
- [● 7 SOURCES] Giovanni Galante, whose wife Grace Catherine Galante died in the 9/11 attacks, is a leading organizer of the petition. www.gbnews.com · vinnews.com · www.liberoquotidiano.it · news.az · www.worthynews.com · +2 more
- [● 7 SOURCES] Families of 9/11 victims launched a petition to bar New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani from attending the 25th anniversary ceremony. www.gbnews.com · vinnews.com · www.liberoquotidiano.it · news.az · www.worthynews.com · +2 more
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Mamdani appointed Ramzi Kassem as city chief counsel; Kassem previously defended al‑Qaeda terrorist Ahmed al‑Darbi. www.gbnews.com
- [● 7 SOURCES] Zohran Mamdani is the mayor of New York City. www.gbnews.com · vinnews.com · www.liberoquotidiano.it · news.az · www.worthynews.com · +2 more
- [● 7 SOURCES] Mamdani has not publicly condemned the phrase “globalize the intifada.” www.gbnews.com · vinnews.com · www.liberoquotidiano.it · news.az · www.worthynews.com · +2 more
- [○ 1 SOURCE] CAIR issued a statement defending Mamdani and condemning Israel‑advocacy groups for conflating criticism of Netanyahu with anti‑Jewish sentiment.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Mamdani said his criticism targets Netanyahu, not Jewish New Yorkers, and that protecting Jewish residents remains a top priority. www.amny.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Moshe Yezhak Grunhaus, a Jewish man, and Chok Sung, an Asian man, were stabbed on the Upper West Side and were hospitalized in stable condition. hotspotatl.com · www.amny.com · upolitics.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Raul Morales, 51 years old, was arrested and charged with attempted murder and a hate crime for the Upper West Side stabbings. www.amny.com · hotspotatl.com · upolitics.com