New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani defended his plan to attend the 25th anniversary 9/11 memorial at Ground Zero, telling reporters he will 'proudly honor the families, the survivors, the first responders.' The statement comes amid a petition that organizers say has surpassed 1,000 signatures, including from over 300 victim families, calling for Mamdani to be barred from the ceremony due to his past statements downplaying Islamist extremism and criticizing Israel.
New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday defended his plan to attend the 25th anniversary 9/11 memorial at Ground Zero, responding to questions about the growing petition demanding his exclusion. 'I will proudly honor the families, the survivors, the first responders… by standing alongside them,' Mamdani said.
As The Zioneer reported Sunday, a petition barring Mamdani from the memorial has surpassed 1,000 signatures. Organizers, including over 300 families of 9/11 victims, have cited Mamdani's past statements downplaying Islamist extremism and his criticism of Israel as reasons for his exclusion. At the time, Mamdani's office confirmed he planned to attend.
Mamdani, a far-left anti-Zionist candidate, has faced sustained criticism from Jewish and pro-Israel groups over his campaign rhetoric. As The Zioneer previously reported, Mamdani has described AIPAC and its supporters as 'monsters' and has stated that he opposes Israel as a 'Jewish state.' He has also been criticized for campaigning with a social media influencer who has expressed support for Hamas.
It remains unclear whether memorial organizers will take any formal action regarding his attendance. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum has said the ceremony is intentionally non-political.
4 developments
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Source and signal
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