Overview
- A family-led Change.org petition launched in late July has drawn thousands of signatures and organizers say it includes hundreds of authenticated 9/11 relatives as of July 27, 2026.
- The petition lists specific grievances against Mayor Zohran Mamdani, citing his past comments about Anwar al-Awlaki, campaign appearances with figures such as Imam Siraj Wahhaj, and appointments and endorsements of controversial allies.
- The National September 11 Memorial & Museum says it keeps the commemoration apolitical and seats elected officials as silent witnesses, and it controls the official guest list for the Ground Zero ceremony.
- City Hall has confirmed Mamdani intends to attend the 25th-anniversary observance, and petition organizers are lobbying City Council members and staging protests to try to block his presence.
- Coverage of the dispute runs across the political spectrum with right-leaning outlets highlighting calls to ban him and local outlets noting the museum’s longstanding nonpolitical policy, raising the prospect that the controversy will shape public debate before the September ceremony.