AOC and Mamdani Caught Being ‘Very Offensive’ During 9/11 Ceremony

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced criticism from several attendees at the Ground Zero 9/11 memorial ceremony, with some victims’ relatives arguing that he should not have attended. Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) were caught laughing during the ceremony.

Walter Matuza, whose father was killed in the North Tower while working at Carr Futures, told Fox News that Mamdani’s presence “does bother us.”

MAGA Republicans Demand NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Resign After Video Shows Him Laughing During 9/11 Memorial pic.twitter.com/5eTXwBIKa6

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Matuza was among those who supported a petition urging the mayor to stay away from the annual remembrance ceremony.

Critics pointed in part to Mamdani’s political associations and his decision to appoint attorney Ramzi Kassem as chief counsel. Kassem previously represented a Guantanamo detainee who was connected to an al-Qaeda plot and was the brother of one of the 9/11 hijackers.

Another mourner, identified as Steven, traveled from Hobe Sound, Florida, and described Mamdani’s attendance as “disrespectful” and “very offensive.”

Steven acknowledged Mamdani’s right to attend as an elected official but said “who he represents and the people he’s affiliated with” made his appearance inappropriate in his view.

“I don’t feel that his presence here is wanted,” Steven said. He also called Kassem’s appointment “hideous.”

Mike, a former New Jersey police officer who helped in Manhattan following the September 11 attacks, also questioned Mamdani’s decision to attend. Based on the mayor’s previous rhetoric, Mike said “he probably should have skipped it.”

Another attendee called Mamdani a “communist” while emphasizing that the memorial “is not supposed to be a political event.”

Opposition to Mamdani’s appearance extended beyond those attending the ceremony. A petition organized by victims’ relatives reportedly collected more than 110,000 signatures asking him to stay away.

Organizers said their concerns included Mamdani’s associations with commentator Hasan Piker, who previously said the United States “deserved 9/11,” along with other statements and appointments they believed conflicted with the purpose of the memorial.

Former New York Gov. George Pataki and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani also publicly opposed Mamdani’s attendance. Giuliani previously said the mayor’s presence “offends” him.

Mamdani defended his decision to participate, saying he wanted to honor victims’ families and first responders. He described September 11 as a “horrific act of terror” that killed 2,753 New Yorkers.

“What I want this week to be a focus on is on the families whose loved ones were stolen from them,” Mamdani said.

The mayor stayed through the reading of nearly 3,000 victims’ names and later spoke with families at the site.

Before the ceremony, Mamdani also approached Giuliani and shook his hand. Giuliani reportedly told the mayor that he would pray for him and acknowledged the difficulty of leading New York City.

The invitation-only memorial, hosted by the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, included victims’ relatives, moments of silence and a number of prominent political leaders.