Friday’s 9/11 memorial at Ground Zero saw Mayor Zohran Mamdani facing backlash from various quarters for his presence at the event. Criticism came from within the city, including from a former police officer who suggested Mamdani should have avoided the ceremony, and a mourner who deemed his appearance as disrespectful and offensive.
Mamdani has been controversial due to his associations and appointing Ramzi Kassem as chief counsel. Kassem’s past representation of a detainee linked to an al Qaeda plot raised eyebrows. Prominent figures like Former New York Republican Gov. George Pataki and 9/11-era FDNY Commissioner Thomas von Essen urged Mamdani to steer clear of the ceremony.
“He showed up anyway. It does bother us,” Walter Matuza, whose father died in the attacks, shared with Fox News Digital.
Walter Matuza, part of a group that initiated a petition with 110,000 signatures urging Mamdani to stay away, criticized Mamdani’s associations with controversial figures including Hasan Piker, who made contentious remarks about the 9/11 attacks.
The appointment of Kassem wasn’t well-received, adding to the disapproval. Former New Jersey police officer Mike expressed dissatisfaction with Mamdani’s rhetoric and handling of Kassem’s appointment. He felt Mamdani might have managed the situation differently.
“But, he did it and unfortunately people aren’t going to forget it,” Mike stated.
Friday’s event, described as apolitical by Steven, a mourner from Florida, saw Mamdani called a “communist,” with objections to his appearance noted. He shared that over 700,000 New Yorkers had hoped Mamdani would not attend.
Steven labeled Kassem’s appointment as “hideous” and stated the youngest generation suffers from misinformation about 9/11, emphasizing his intention to educate his children to prevent ideological misdirection.
Contrarily, attendee John believed Mamdani had a right to attend, noting that as long as Mamdani respected the fallen, he was “fine” with his presence. John lost friends working at the Cantor-Fitzgerald firm, which suffered significant losses on 9/11.
Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani for comment. In a prior statement, Mamdani expressed pride in New York, focusing on the families and first responders impacted by the attacks.
During the ceremony, Mamdani was seen engaging briefly with his predecessor, Rudolph Giuliani. All living former presidents reportedly attended the ceremony, while President Donald Trump visited the Pentagon to pay respects before traveling to County Clare, Ireland.