Mamdani hands 9/11 ceremonial pen to lawyer who defended bin Laden ally

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed two executive orders on Friday, establishing September 11th as a Citywide Day of Remembrance and Service and creating a Continuity and Mission Assurance Team for emergency preparedness. Following the signing, Mamdani reportedly gave the ceremonial pen to his chief legal counsel, Ramzi Kassem, a law professor who previously defended Ahmed al-Darbi, an ally of Osama Bin Laden. Retired detective Michael Alcazar criticized this action, stating, "It happened during a ceremony meant to be about the victims." Additionally, Mamdani launched an online portal for 9/11 records, releasing approximately 170,000 pages related to health concerns and the city's response, with the mayor emphasizing that any releasable documents "should always be released."