American Actress Patricia Heaton Joins Effort to Bar NYC Mayor from 9/11 Memorial Event

American actress Patricia Heaton, known for her role in "Everybody Loves Raymond," has joined calls to prevent New York City Mayor Eric Adams from participating in the 25th anniversary memorial ceremony for the September 11 attacks. Heaton, who was in New York during the 2001 attacks, shared a petition against Adams on her social media platform X (formerly Twitter), encouraging her over 500,000 followers to support the cause. The petition, which has gathered nearly 45,000 signatures, is backed by families of 9/11 victims who accuse Adams of showing leniency toward individuals linked to Islamic terrorism and argue that his presence at the memorial would insult the memory of the nearly 3,000 victims.

Heaton has previously expressed support for Israel, especially following the October 7 attacks, drawing parallels between Hamas and Al-Qaeda terrorists responsible for 9/11. In a video she posted, she emphasized that attacks on Israel are attacks on everyone and condemned calls for Israel to disarm as support for terrorists. The petition organizers aim to convince local lawmakers and event planners to exclude Adams from the memorial event at the South Manhattan site. Critics of Adams, New York’s first Muslim mayor, highlight his pro-Palestinian statements and alleged failure to fully acknowledge the horror of 9/11, with some victims’ relatives accusing him of defending terrorists and blaming the U.S. for the attacks.

The controversy reflects ongoing tensions in New York regarding Adams’ political stance and the legacy of 9/11, as the city prepares to mark a quarter-century since the attacks that deeply affected its residents and the nation.