Retired Port Authority police officers are calling on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York Governor Kathy Hochul to stay away from this year’s 25th anniversary 9/11 Memorial, according to letters obtained by Fox News. The officers argue that the two Democratic officials have records that are at odds with the solemnity of the day and the sacrifices of those who died.
John McDevitt, president of the Port Authority Retired Police Association, sent separate letters to Mamdani and Hochul expressing the deep concerns of his members, many of whom were directly involved in the response to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the September 11, 2001 attacks.
“For us, September 11 is not a political occasion, a photo opportunity, or a platform for public officials. It is a solemn day of remembrance for those who were murdered, those who responded, those who survived, and the families who have carried these losses for twenty-five years,” McDevitt wrote to Mamdani.
The association represents officers who patrolled and protected the World Trade Center, a site that was deeply personal to the entire Port Authority family, McDevitt said. “The terrorist bombing of February 26, 1993, and the attacks of September 11, 2001, were therefore deeply personal attacks on the entire Port Authority family,” he added.
Concerns Over Mayor Mamdani
McDevitt’s letter to Mamdani cited the mayor’s public statements, political associations, and positions that the association views as inconsistent with the sacrifices of victims and law-enforcement officers. The letter specifically pointed to rhetoric or affiliations perceived as hostile to law enforcement or sympathetic to individuals and movements antagonistic to the United States.
The letter comes after family members of 9/11 victims had already angrily called for Mamdani to skip the memorial, noting his past remarks about post-9/11 “Islamophobia” and his promotion of Islamic terrorists. The mayor has also drawn criticism for his recent budget decisions, including slashing the NYPD budget and canceling new police hires while funding housing and proposing government-run grocery stores.
McDevitt said his members have “profound concerns” about these actions, which they see as out of step with the memories of those who died protecting others.
Governor Hochul’s Memorial Lighting Draws Ire
In his letter to Hochul, McDevitt expressed outrage over her decision to light up the World Trade Center site for Muslim American Heritage Month. He called the move “insensitive, tone-deaf, and an affront” to victims and first responders, and suggested that political pandering played a role.
“We believe that political pandering played a role in a decision that showed such disregard for the significance of this sacred site,” McDevitt wrote. “Because of that decision, we believe that you have forfeited your right to stand alongside us at Ground Zero on the 25th anniversary.”
Despite the letter, Hochul told Fox News she plans to attend the memorial anyway. McDevitt has also contacted the governor’s office separately to press the case.
The 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks is set to draw national attention, and the controversy over which officials will be present at the memorial underscores the deep divisions that remain over how to honor the day and who should be seen as honoring it.
Source: pjmedia.com — https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2026/08/30/retired-police-say-mamdani-and-hochul-unwelcome-at-911-memorial-n4956704
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