Patricia Heaton Backs Calls to Ban Mayor Zohran Mamdani From 9/11 Anniversary in NYC

Patricia Heaton joined families of 9/11 victims in supporting a petition that called for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to be barred from attending the 25th anniversary commemoration at Ground Zero.

"Keep it going New Yorkers," the actress wrote on X while reposting a change.org petition that had gathered nearly 50,854 signatures, as of this writing.

The post included a screenshot of a comment from a person who said they lost their brother in the September 11 attacks.

"I am incensed that a terrorist excuser is now Mayor, and outspoken sympathizer for terrorist perpetrators. He is disqualified from attending the 9/11 remembrance ceremony and ought to be barred," the post read.

The 68-year-old actress has previously recalled her firsthand experience during the terrorist attacks.

"I happened to be in New York City on September 11, 2001, with the cast of Everybody Loves Raymond. It was a terrifying experience," she wrote in a video on X on September 11, 2024.

The petition was organized by Giovanni Galante, whose wife, Grace, died in the September 11 attacks.

"This anniversary is one of remembrance grounded in shared American values: respect for the victims, recognition of the gravity of the attacks and a clear rejection of the ideologies that contributed to such violence," Galante wrote via the petition.

It continued, "Concerns have been raised about Mr. Mamdani’s public positions, associations, and responses to rhetoric that many perceive as hostile to these shared values."

The petition also said, "Given these concerns, we respectfully ask that the organizers carefully consider whether Mr. Mamdani’s participation would align with the intention of the ceremony and the expectations of the families most directly affected by the tragedy."

Mamdani rejected the criticism and confirmed that he planned to attend this year's ceremony.

"I will proudly honor the families, the survivors, the first responders forever impacted by that horrific terror attack by standing alongside them at this year's 9/11 commemoration," he told CBS News.

He also said he would reaffirm that "we will never forget the solemn day felt by all of us who call this city home and, frankly, by all of us who called this country home."

A spokesperson for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum told Fox News Digital, "We have intentionally worked to keep the commemoration free of politics because remembering those we lost on 9/11 should never be a partisan issue."

"Our priority throughout the ceremony is to provide a dignified and supportive environment for the families," the spokesperson said.

Per Us Weekly, last year, President Donald Trump attended the annual memorial service in New York City alongside conservative activist Laura Loomer, who has previously promoted the debunked conspiracy theory that the September 11 attacks were an "inside job" carried out by the U.S. government.