New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced plans to sign two executive orders designating September 11 as a Day of Remembrance and Service. The first order will establish a moment of silence for those killed in the terrorist attacks and those who suffered health consequences afterward, while encouraging city agencies to hold memorial ceremonies and educational programming. The second order will overhaul the city’s emergency continuity plans for the first time since 2007 and establish an interagency team to coordinate emergency response.
Mamdani characterized the designations as fulfilling a responsibility to strengthen city preparedness and protect residents. Fire Department Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore stated that service was the legacy of those who responded on the day of the attacks and those who have died since. According to Mamdani’s office, this marks the first city-level action of its kind by a New York City mayor.
The announcement has generated controversy. A petition with more than 98,000 signatures, including from family members of victims, calls for Mamdani to be excluded from commemorative events, with critics saying he has shown insufficient opposition to what they characterize as extremist ideologies. Former Governor George Pataki, a Republican, has also stated Mamdani should not participate.
Supporters have defended Mamdani’s participation. Elizabeth Miller, whose father was killed in the attacks, told CBS that the mayor should be allowed to honor victims. September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows stated that efforts to exclude him reflect Islamophobic sentiment and that Ground Zero should not be used as a platform for partisan politics. City Council Speaker Julie Menin called the exclusion effort “absolutely inappropriate.”
Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor, has faced Islamophobic attacks both during his campaign and since taking office, including from political opponents and national figures.
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