# He asked Mamdani to stay away. Mamdani came anyway

> A 9/11 widower gathered 113,000 signatures to keep the mayor from Ground Zero, then watched him sit through all five hours.
- Title: He asked Mamdani to stay away. Mamdani came anyway | Shortify
- Summary: A 9/11 widower gathered 113,000 signatures to keep the mayor from Ground Zero, then watched him sit through all five hours. Showing up and staying for the…
- Keywords: 9/11, mamdani, new york city, ground zero, petition, news, entertainment, asked, stay, away, came, anyway
- Source: New York Post — https://nypost.com/2026/09/12/us-news/organizer-of-petition-by-9-11-families-disappointed-mamdani-attended-ceremony-but-has-no-regrets
- Published: 2026-09-12T20:15:28+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: 9/11, mamdani, new york city, ground zero, petition, news, entertainment
## 113,000 names, one ask
Giovanni Galante drafted a Change.org petition in July asking Mayor Zohran Mamdani to skip the 25th anniversary at Ground Zero. It drew more than 113,000 signatures.

> 113,000 is humongous. I would have been happy with 3,000
## Why he started it
Galante's wife Grace was 29 when she was killed with 2,976 others. He is a Brooklyn-born real estate agent in Florida, not an activist, and says someone had to speak.

> I didn't want to go through this really. I'm not an advocate, but I'm glad I did
## The case against the mayor
Critics pointed to Mamdani's past remarks and his ties to figures like influencer Hasan Piker, who once said America deserved the 2001 attacks.
## Mamdani went anyway
He brushed off months of pressure and attended. Organizers seated elected officials away from victims' families, as at past ceremonies, so the planned protest never happened.
## The viral laugh
A clip showed Mamdani briefly laughing with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez during the reading of the names. Galante gave them the benefit of the doubt.

> That easily could be taken out of context because it's unclear what they were talking about
## He stayed five hours
Charles Wolf, who turned his back on Mamdani in April, was impressed the mayor stayed to the end. He introduced himself afterward and they shook hands.

> I said I really appreciate the respect you showed for our loved ones
## Key takeaway

Showing up and staying for the whole thing changed more minds than any argument did.