The petition also cites several examples which the organisers believe contravene the criteria which they believe must be upheld in order to attend.
The listed examples include Mamdani’s “reluctance to clearly and unequivocally condemn phrases such as ‘globalise the intifada’”, his, “support for, or associations with, individuals whose public statements or records are viewed by concerned family members as dismissive of American institutions or insufficiently critical of extremist ideologies”, and his blaming of the US for, “radicalising Anwar al-Awlaki, an al-Qaeda propagandist linked to the 9/11 hijackers”, amongst other examples.
Smoke pours from the World Trade Center in New York City after it was struck by two planes on September 11, 2001 (Getty Images)Getty Images
Al-Awlaki was an American-Yemeni Islamist cleric and a lead organiser for al-Qaeda, who was killed in a US drone strike ordered by President Obama in 2011, becoming the first American citizen to be killed in such an action.
His case generated controversy in the US, with critics claiming that the strike was unlawful as it contravened his constitutional right as an American to a fair trial.
Mamdani has also previously associated himself with extremist streamer Hasan Piker, including appearing on Piker’s online show and attending a private Eid dinner together.
Piker, who was barred from entering the UK in June 2026, has stated that Hamas is “a thousand times better than the Israeli state” and that America “deserved 9/11”, and also platformed Rashid Al-Haddad, a Yemeni who has filmed himself aboard ships hijacked by the Houthis.
The petition was started by Giovanni Galante, whose then-29-year-old wife, Grace, was amongst the 2,977 people killed on 9/11 when al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four planes and flew two of them into the World Trade Center, while a third hit the Pentagon and a fourth, thought to be en route to Washington, was brought down by passengers, killing everyone on board.
Other relatives of 9/11 victims, including Monica Iken-Murphy whose then-37-year-old husband, Michael Iken, was killed have also signed the petition.
The petition declares: “The 25th anniversary should remain centred on remembrance, unity, and an unambiguous rejection of the violence and extremism that defined that day.”
“Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your continued commitment to honouring the memory of those lost on September 11, 2001.”
