Mamdani to Attend 9/11 Commemoration Despite Opposition From Critics, Victim Families

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has confirmed that he will attend the city's 25th-anniversary commemoration of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks despite criticism from Republican politicians and some relatives of the victims.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani attends events honoring the victims and first responders of the September 11 attacks ahead of the 25th anniversary of the tragedy. [Photo: Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani Facebook]

Mamdani said he would attend the remembrance ceremony and keep the focus on the victims, their families and the first responders who sacrificed their lives in the aftermath of the attacks.

"I'm proud to be the mayor of this city. I love this city. I love this country," Mamdani said.

He added that he wanted the week to focus on "the families whose loved ones were stolen from them 25 years ago in the horrific act of terror of September 11th" and on "the first responders who gave everything they could to this city."

The mayor's decision has drawn criticism from some 9/11 victims' families and conservative politicians. A petition opposing his attendance had collected more than 100,000 signatures by Sept. 8, according to the New York Post.

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, a vocal critic of Mamdani, also questioned whether the mayor should attend the 25th-anniversary ceremony.

In a July post on X, Portnoy listed political positions and statements he said could explain opposition to Mamdani's presence, including his past calls concerning policing and his position on the phrase "Globalize the Intifada."

Mamdani, New York City's first Muslim mayor, has taken several steps to mark the anniversary.

On Sept. 4, he signed executive orders establishing Sept. 11 as a citywide "Day of Remembrance and Service" and strengthening the city's emergency-preparedness procedures.

The city has also released more than 170,000 pages of records concerning the government's response to the attacks and their aftermath.

Mamdani participated in a Sept. 9 FDNY World Trade Center memorial service on Staten Island, where the department honored the 343 firefighters who died in the attacks and those who later died from World Trade Center-related illnesses.