New York Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis has urged New Yorkers to keep the focus on the victims, survivors and first responders as the city prepares to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, amid controversy over Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s planned attendance at the Ground Zero commemoration.
Malliotakis said the anniversary should not become centered on the mayor, stressing that although Mamdani holds the city’s highest elected office and is expected to attend, the occasion belongs to those who lost their lives and those whose lives were permanently changed by the attacks.
“I think what I would like to do is just take away the spotlight from [Mayor Zohran Mamdani], because this day is not about him in any way,” Malliotakis said. “Yes, he’s the mayor. Yes, he will be there. But the day is not about him.”
9/11 Families Raise Objections
The debate over Mamdani’s attendance has intensified in recent days, with some relatives of 9/11 victims publicly calling on the mayor to stay away from the anniversary ceremony.
A petition launched by members of the 9/11 community has attracted more than 98,000 signatures, according to recent reports. Organizers argue that Mamdani’s past political associations and comments have made his presence at the ceremony uncomfortable for some grieving families.
Retired Port Authority police officers have also joined those asking Mamdani and other officials to avoid the Ground Zero ceremony, saying their attendance could cause additional pain to survivors and victims’ relatives.
The criticism has included renewed scrutiny of a 2023 post by Mamdani concerning the September 11 attacks, as well as his past association with political commentator Hasan Piker. Critics have argued that Mamdani’s approach to discussing the attacks has not adequately reflected the solemnity they believe should surround the anniversary.
Mamdani Says He Will Honor Victims and Survivors
Mamdani, however, has maintained that he intends to participate in the commemoration and honor those who died, survivors, first responders and New Yorkers affected by the attacks.
The mayor has also taken steps to formally mark September 11 as a citywide Day of Remembrance and Service. His administration announced executive orders establishing memorial and educational activities, including a moment of silence, while also strengthening the city’s emergency preparedness and continuity plans.
Mamdani’s supporters have defended his participation, arguing that the 25th anniversary should be a moment for remembrance and unity rather than another political confrontation.
The dispute therefore places Mamdani in a difficult position: attending could provoke further criticism from some families and first responders, while staying away could be interpreted by others as failing to participate in one of the city’s most significant annual acts of remembrance.
Malliotakis Calls for Focus on the Victims
For Malliotakis, the solution is to ensure that political personalities do not overshadow the people whose lives were lost or transformed by the attacks.
Her comments reflect a broader concern among critics that political disagreements surrounding Mamdani could dominate public discussion of the anniversary.
The congresswoman’s position is that regardless of who occupies City Hall, September 11 should remain centered on the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks, the survivors, first responders and the families who have carried the consequences for a quarter of a century.
A Sensitive 25th Anniversary
The controversy comes as New York prepares for one of the most significant 9/11 commemorations since the attacks. The 25th anniversary has renewed attention not only on those killed on September 11, but also on the first responders, recovery workers and others who later died from illnesses linked to their exposure at Ground Zero.
With Mamdani insisting that he will honor the victims and critics demanding that he stay away, the political dispute is unlikely to disappear before the ceremony. But Malliotakis’ central message is that the political arguments surrounding the mayor should not become the story of September 11. The anniversary, she argues, belongs to the victims—not to any politician. OGM News will continue to monitor developments surrounding New York City’s 25th anniversary 9/11 commemoration.
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