Retired Port Authority police officers and thousands of 9/11 families have demanded New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul stay away from the 25th-anniversary September 11 ceremony at Ground Zero, warning their presence would cause pain and politicize the memorial.
Retired officers, led by Port Authority Retired Police Association president John McDevitt, sent formal letters dated August 14 to both Mamdani and Hochul, urging them not to attend the upcoming ceremony at the World Trade Center site. Their letters came as a separate petition, launched in July by Giovanni Galante, drew more than 95,000 signatures seeking to bar Mamdani from the event.
McDevitt’s message was direct: “For us, September 11 is not a political occasion, a photo opportunity, or a platform for public officials.” He emphasized the ceremony’s sacred nature, writing, “It is a solemn day of remembrance for those who were murdered, those who responded, those who survived, and the families who have carried these losses for twenty-five years.”
The letters argued that the presence of Mamdani and Hochul would “cause deep pain to many members of the 9/11 community” and risk turning a day of remembrance into “the center of political controversy.” McDevitt asked, “Please allow us to remember in peace.”
The push to bar these officials follows controversy over decisions at the World Trade Center site, including Hochul’s move to illuminate One World Trade Center for Muslim American Heritage Month. McDevitt called that decision “insensitive, tone-deaf, and an affront” to those who served, the victims’ families, and first responders, and accused Hochul of “political pandering.”
Many families directly impacted by 9/11 have joined the call for Mamdani to be excluded from the event. Giovanni Galante, whose wife Grace Catherine Galante was killed in the 2001 attacks, launched the petition in July and wrote, “We are taking measures to shield our loved ones by barring anyone who opposes our way of life from the ceremony.”
Michael LaRosa, former special assistant to President Joe Biden and a signatory to the petition, warned that Mamdani’s presence would become a “lightning rod” and distract from honoring those lost and their families.
McDevitt’s letter to Hochul was equally blunt: “Because of that decision, we believe that you have forfeited your right to stand alongside us at Ground Zero on the 25th anniversary.” He maintained that the site and the day should not be used by political figures for their own ends, stating, “This is our day to remember.”
A spokesperson for Governor Hochul responded that she “has enormous respect for all the families who lost loved ones on 9/11” and will “proudly stand alongside them at this year’s commemoration.” The spokesperson also highlighted the contributions of Muslim New Yorkers, saying they “served as first responders and helped unite the city in the aftermath of 9/11,” and insisted, “The Governor knows we can respect these families while being clear that Islamophobia has no place in New York.”
Mamdani’s office was contacted about the petition and the officers’ letter but had not provided a response at the time of the report; Mamdani had previously stated he planned to attend the commemoration and “proudly honor” families, survivors, and first responders affected by the attack.
For its part, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum told Fox News Digital that the annual commemoration is kept free of politics, with government officials who attend not delivering remarks and remaining in a designated area.
The 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks is a moment of deep significance for those who lost loved ones and for the Port Authority community, which lost 37 officers and 47 other members that day. The strong reaction against political leaders’ attendance reflects a desire to keep the focus on the victims, survivors, and those who risked everything in response to the attacks, rather than on divisive public figures or controversial decisions.
With over 95,000 signatures and the backing of retired officers, the movement to keep the ceremony centered on remembrance and unity has demonstrated the enduring strength, and the limits, of public patience for those who treat sacred days as political stages.
America’s greatest days are built on respect for sacrifice, not on politicians using hallowed ground as a backdrop for their own agendas.
