9/11 families launch petition to exclude Zohran Mamdani from 25th anniversary memorial of attacks
by Kerry Picket · The Washington TimesRelatives of people killed in the 9/11 attacks have launched a petition seeking to bar New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani from attending 25th anniversary memorial events because of his sympathies towards radical Islamists and refusal to condemn antisemitism.
The petition was launched by Brooklyn-born, Florida real estate agent Giovanni Galante, whose 29-year-old wife Grace Catherine Galante was among the 2,977 people killed by al Qaeda terrorists 25 years ago in September. The drive had collected more than 14,000 signatures by midday Monday.
“After 25 years, it’s kind of a slap in the face that this guy being someone [who] supports terrorists and follows people that think we deserve 9/11 is really an insult,” Mr. Galante told The Washington Times. “That’s all it comes down to. And as far as speaking with some of the family members, we all feel that after 25 years, we really have to fight something that should be common sense.”
The Washington Times reached out to Mr. Mamdani’s office for comment.
The petition says that fears have been raised about Mr. Mamdani’s public positions, relations and responses to rhetoric that many deem as hostile to common American values.
“Mr. Mamdani has blamed the United States for radicalizing Anwar al-Awlaki, an al Qaeda propagandist linked to the 9/11 hijackers. Critics have likened this to blaming victims rather than perpetrators,” the petition states.
The petition also says his stances include what seems to be an unwillingness to “clearly and unequivocally condemn phrases such as ’globalize the intifada,’” which many say is endorsing or normalizing violence, his praise for Brooklyn imam Siraj Wahhaj and his association with commentator Hasan Piker, who has made controversial statements about the attacks.
Mr. Wahhaj was named as an alleged co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and served as a character witness for the “Blind Sheikh,” who was convicted in 1995 of masterminding terror attacks against the U.S.
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Additionally, the petition cites writings shortly after 9/11 by Mr. Mamdani’s father, Mahmood Mamdani, who said that suicide bombings should be seen as a feature of modern political violence as opposed to being “stigmatized as a mark of barbarism.”
Mr. Mamdani has previously said that his father has influenced his views.
More recently, Mr. Mamdani appointed Ramzi Kassem as New York City’s chief counsel. Mr. Kassem previously represented Ahmed al-Darbi, who was convicted in an al Qaeda tanker bombing plot.
The NYC mayor also endorsed candidates who blamed 9/11 on the U.S., including Aber Kawas, who said 9/11 was an attack “a couple of people did in the context of U.S. capitalism, racism, white supremacy and Islamophobia.”
One petition commenter named Bruce said, “I was one of the first responders on scene that day and saw first-hand the damage that was done and lost 343 of my fellow firefighters, he should not be there period!!!”
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Marc, another petition commenter from South Orange, New Jersey, said, “As a 9/11 Search & Recovery worker, the annual gathering on 9/11 is a sacred day. It should be politically free for all who want to gather. The current Mayor of NY will undoubtedly insert his political spin.”
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Kerry Picket
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