New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed Wednesday that he would attend the September 11 memorial ceremony at Ground Zero, drawing objections from some families of victims over his past remarks about national security and civil liberties policies enacted after the 2001 attacks.

Mamdani, a Democrat who took office earlier this year, has faced scrutiny from relatives of those killed in the attacks. A spokesperson for the mayor said he would honour the victims and their families and had met with representatives of several 9/11 family groups.

Republican critics in the City Council seized on the dispute, arguing the mayor's record made his attendance inappropriate. Supporters countered that the mayor, as the city's chief executive, bore a responsibility to participate in the commemoration regardless of political disagreements.

The controversy underscores continuing tensions between Mamdani's progressive administration and constituencies that view his positions with suspicion. The National September 11 Memorial & Museum has hosted the annual ceremony at the site of the former World Trade Center each year since 2002. City Hall said further details of the mayor's role in the ceremony would be released closer to the anniversary.