9/11 25th Anniversary Petition to Bar Mamdani from Ground Zero Ceremony

Coalition of 9/11 victims' families launched a Change.org petition urging organizers to exclude Mamdani from the September 11, 2026 25th anniversary Ground Zero ceremony, citing what they call his failure to acknowledge the horror of the attacks and his associations with individuals who minimized 9/11 or defended terrorists. Drive led by Charles Galante (wife Grace Catherine killed), Cheri Sparacio (husband Thomas killed), and Giovanni Galante. Passed 1,350 signatures in about a week, including at least 300 from victim relatives. The National September 11 Memorial & Museum controls the guest list; under longstanding policy every sitting mayor is invited and would be seated with other elected officials. Story running heavily in NY Post, Newsmax, and center-right outlets; largely uncovered in mainstream press so far. Coincides with the Netanyahu-arrest rhetoric arc and the UWS stabbing fallout, and gives opponents a symbolic pressure lever heading into the September commemoration.