As the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks approaches, controversy surrounds New York City Mayor Joran Mamdani's planned attendance at the annual memorial service on September 11. According to ABC New York, Mamdani will attend the event despite opposition from some victim families and Republican officials.
The controversy stems from the appointment of Ramzi Qasem, a professor at the City University of New York School of Law, as the city's chief legal advisor after Mamdani took office. Qasem previously served as an immigration policy advisor under the Biden administration but has faced scrutiny for having defended an Al-Qaeda member in the past. This individual was reportedly related to a terrorist who hijacked a plane during the 9/11 attacks and targeted the Pentagon.
In light of the situation, families of 9/11 victims have petitioned Mamdani to refrain from attending the memorial, with nearly 100,000 signatures collected so far. Former Governor George Pataki has also joined the petition.
Rudy Giuliani, who served as New York City Mayor during the 9/11 attacks, expressed strong disapproval of Mamdani's attendance. In a recent interview with the conservative outlet Newsmax, Giuliani stated, "It offends me" and made unfounded claims that Mamdani supports a conspiracy by Muslim groups to dominate parts of the U.S. and Europe. The New York Times noted that Giuliani was widely praised for his calm response to the attacks, which resulted in over 2,700 deaths and devastated parts of Manhattan, but has since been associated with far-right views as a personal attorney to former President Donald Trump.
Mamdani dismissed these claims, stating on September 7 before the New York Carnival Parade, "I want to focus on the families who lost loved ones in this terrible attack 25 years ago, the first responders who gave everything, and all my fellow New Yorkers who stood together." He also mentioned that he designated September 11 as a day of citywide remembrance and service and signed an executive order to modernize the city's emergency response procedures.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul supported Mamdani's attendance, stating, "As the Mayor of New York City, he should be there. While I have deep respect for the minority of families who oppose his attendance, I believe that if he does not come, it would be an insult to the majority of families."
The memorial service will take place at Ground Zero, the site of the World Trade Center. Vice President JD Vance is also expected to attend. Former President Donald Trump will not be in New York but will participate in a memorial service at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., according to NBC.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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