Opponents of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's attendance argue that his associations and public record make his presence hurtful to families mourning at Ground Zero

Marking twenty-five years since the attacks that killed 2,977 people, the ceremony has become contested. A petition led by a victim's widower asks organizers to bar Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who intends to attend and has designated the date a citywide day of remembrance and service.