A relative of a firefighter killed on 9/11 took a veiled jab at Zohran Mamdani during Thursday’s anniversary ceremony in Manhattan — calling out all public officials who refuse to condemn the phrase “Globalize the Intifada.”
“They are inviting another 9/11, God forbid,” Mike Weinstein, 61, said to some applause from attendees, who included the Democratic mayoral nominee and other local and national officials.
Weinstein was honoring his “coolest cousin” Stephen Belson, a 23-year veteran firefighter killed trying to save stranded tenants in the World Trade Center’s South Tower on Sept. 11, 2001. His remains were never recovered.
A relative of a firefighter killed on 9/11 took a veiled shot at Zohran Mamdani during Thursday’s anniversary ceremony in Manhattan — calling out all public officials who refuse to condemn the phrase “Globalize the Intifada.” REUTERSBelson, a former swimmer, surfer and lifeguard in Rockaway Beach, was assigned to Ladder 24 Engine 1 near Madison Square Garden.
“I know my cousin Steve and many, many others would agree with me when I say, let’s continue to press all politicians, including those who went home already, to firmly renounce terror and violence,” Weinstein, of Syosset, said during his speech at the 24th annual remembrance of the terror attacks.
“When political candidates and public officials refuse to condemn global terror and phrases such as ‘Globalize the Intifada,’ they are inviting another 9/11, God forbid, and they continue to bring daily fear for all New Yorkers. Enough. Enough is enough. It’s 24 years later,” Weinstein said to applause.
“They are inviting another 9/11, God forbid,” Mike Weinstein, 61, said to some applause from attendees, who included the Democratic mayoral nominee and other local and national officials. Georgett Roberts/NY PostHe continued, “We need all political candidates including every single potential future mayor, and you know who I’m talking about, of this great city to speak out against terror, and unite as freedom-loving New Yorkers. God bless America. Land of the free and home of the brave.”
Mamdani has refused to condemn the phrase — anti-Zionist hate speech that calls for violence against Israelis and Jews worldwide.
Asked if the slogan made him uncomfortable, Mamdani said in July it shows “a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights.”
Getty ImagesBut he stressed, “that’s not language that I use,”during an interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker on “Meet the Press” in July.
Weinstein’s speech came as New York politicians and national officials joined hundreds of mourners at the emotional Ground Zero ceremony, honoring the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on the World Trade Center.
Mamdani has refused to condemn the phrase “Globalize the Intifada,” but advises not using it. Instagram/@zohrankmamdaniMayor Eric Adams, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker joined other dignitaries at the hallowed site in Lower Manhattan, where the thousands who died during the attacks were remembered.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and her New Jersey counterpart, Phil Murphy, were also in attendance. Ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running for mayor as an independent and polling second after Mamdani, was also spotted.
FBI Director Kash Patel was present — while JD Vance was forced to cancel his planned visit in order to fly to Utah after the assassination of Charlie Kirk — as President Trump and first lady Melania Trump paid separate respects at the Pentagon.
Weinstein made his remarks about Mamdani’s use of the phrase during his speech at the 24th annual remembrance of the terror attacks. Matthew McDermott for NY PostAfter his speech, Weinstein, who is Jewish, told The Post that Mamdani’s soft stance is the equivalent of refusing to bad-talk terrorism.
“The main point I was trying to make is that here we are 24 years later [and] Al Qaeda still exists. Al-Qaeda operates out of Iran,” he said.
“For the most part, politicians say nothing, you know, when guys like Mamdani refuse to denounce the phrase about the intifada,” he said. “What is more tragic to New Yorkers than a guy who is running for mayor who can’t even denounce global terrorism?”
Zohran Mamdani speaking at a Within Our Lifetime Palestine Protest in front of a sign that says “There is only one solution: Intifada revolution,” in a video posted to Instagram on May 12, 2021. Instagram/@zohrankmamdani“You know you have sleeper cells, you have people with machine guns and rifles and knives and that is the intifada. And if you don’t denounce it, it’s gonna [rear] its ugly head,” Weinstein said.
“So my brief comments were to try to get the elected officials to speak up and to do something and to show New Yorkers that we can’t live in fear, that we gotta take action,” he said.
“If the elected officials don’t step up and say something we are just inviting chaos,” Weinstein said. “And I think New Yorkers deserve better.”
Hundreds of New Yorkers also gathered for six moments of silence Thursday morning to commemorate the key times of the attacks, including when both World Trade Center towers were struck and fell, and the times of the attack on the Pentagon and the crash of Flight 93.
Family members then read the names of the fallen loved ones, a somber yearly ritual.






