Son of Walter A. Matuza Jr., who was killed in the September 11 attacks.
DI has documented statements by Walter Matuza on September 11 Attacks. Read the quotations, original sources and related cases below.
Statement dates: September 8, 2026
Role at the time: 9/11 family member
Statement summary
Matuza directly asked Mamdani not to attend the Ground Zero ceremony.
“Respectfully, stay away from the ceremony on 9/11 at ground zero.”
He expressly requested non-attendance.
A participant is a subject of the case. A speaker has a statement documented in it. A commentator has an opinion or editorial documented in it.
Case
Relationship to this case: Speaker
Rudy Giuliani, George Pataki, and some September 11 victims’ relatives opposed Zohran Mamdani attending the 2026 memorial, citing his rhetoric and associations. Mamdani said he would honor victims; other elected officials and a family group said excluding the sitting mayor would politicize the commemoration.
