Port Authority police retirees urge Mamdani, Hochul to skip 9/11 ceremony

Key Points:

• Retired Port Authority police officers have urged NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul to skip the 25th anniversary 9/11 commemoration, stating their attendance would cause "deep pain" to victims' families, survivors, and first responders.
• The Port Authority Retired Police Association criticized Mamdani's political statements and associations, suggesting his presence would shift focus away from honoring those affected by the attacks, and recommended he mark the anniversary through non-attendance methods.
• The group also condemned Hochul's decision to illuminate One World Trade Center for Muslim American Heritage Month, calling it insensitive and saying it forfeited her right to stand at Ground Zero during the commemoration.
• Hochul's office defended her participation and the observance, emphasizing respect for 9/11 families and the contributions of Muslim New Yorkers as first responders, while Mamdani affirmed his intention to attend and honor those impacted by 9/11.
• A petition to bar Mamdani from the ceremony has gained over 95,000 signatures, including from 9/11 victims' family members and former Biden aides, citing concerns that his presence would politicize the event and distract from victims and their families.