Claim Verification: 9/11 Victims’ Families Petition Regarding NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani
Claim:
In September 2026, a petition circulated online stating that a group of 9/11 victims’ families signed a document seeking to exclude New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani from the upcoming 25th-anniversary commemoration ceremony.
Rating: True
Context:
While the petition itself was real and garnered over 100,000 signatures, some social media posts misleadingly suggested it represented the consensus of all families representing the 2,976 individuals killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks. There is no evidence supporting that broader claim.
Background on the Petition
As the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks approached in September 2026, claims spread rapidly across platforms like X, Facebook, Threads, and Bluesky regarding a growing push to keep Mayor Mamdani away from the memorial event. These viral posts followed a New York Post report highlighting a Change.org petition aimed at blocking the mayor from participating.
The petition was initiated by Giovanni Galante, whose wife died in the 2001 attacks. It urged event organizers to evaluate whether Mamdani’s involvement would conflict with the solemn nature of the commemoration and the expectations of directly impacted families. Meryl Mayo-Marshall, another surviving spouse, publicly confirmed she also signed and supported the petition. By early September, local officials, including NYC Councilmember Joann Ariola, shared photos of family members officially delivering the petition to City Hall.
Although organizers and founders estimated that thousands of signatories were relatives of victims, event organizers noted that the exact familial breakdown of the signatures could not be independently verified from the raw list.
The Official Stance
The 9/11 Memorial and Museum, which organizes the annual anniversary event, emphasized its historical commitment to keeping the ceremony apolitical. A spokesperson stated that officials from across the political spectrum—including every sitting president, governor, and mayor since the attacks—have traditionally attended strictly as observers in designated areas without delivering remarks. The museum did not comment on whether a direct invitation had been extended to Mamdani or if it would be rescinded.
For his part, Mayor Mamdani repeatedly affirmed his expectation to attend the ceremony, emphasizing that his focus remained entirely on honoring the victims, their families, and the first responders who aided the city.
Motivations Behind the Petition
The petition detailed several specific concerns regarding Mamdani’s public positions, political associations, and rhetoric, arguing they conflicted with the dignity of the 9/11 legacy. Among the points raised by organizers were:
- The “Intifada” Phrase: Criticism over Mamdani’s previous responses during a 2025 media appearance where he declined to explicitly condemn the phrase “Globalize the intifada,” stating that a mayor’s role is not to “police speech.”
- Meetings with Controversial Figures: Objections to Mamdani meeting with Brooklyn imam Siraj Wahhaj in late 2025. While critics pointed out Wahhaj’s historical inclusion on an overly inclusive list of unindicted co-conspirators tied to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing case, legal experts noted prosecutors never formally alleged he was part of the conspiracy. Mamdani defended the meeting, pointing out that previous mayors had engaged with Wahhaj and suggesting the criticism disproportionately targeted their shared faith.
- Administrative Appointments: Opposition to the appointment of Ramzi Kassem as NYC chief counsel, given Kassem’s past legal representation of a Guantánamo Bay detainee linked to a 2002 terrorist attack.