New York on Thursday solemnly remembered the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, 24 years after nearly 3,000 lives were lost in a coordinated assault that reshaped the United States forever.
Ceremonies were held at Ground Zero in Manhattan, where the World Trade Center’s twin towers once stood before being destroyed in the hijackings. Commemorations also acknowledged the other attacks, including the crash at the Pentagon in Washington and Flight 93, which passengers diverted into a Pennsylvania field after confronting the hijackers.
This year’s remembrance unfolded against a backdrop of heightened political tension following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah. Vice President JD Vance, originally scheduled to attend New York’s events, redirected his plans to meet Kirk’s family.
Kirk’s killing adds to a recent wave of political violence in the country, following the murder of a Democratic lawmaker and her husband in Minnesota and the firebombing of a Democratic governor’s residence.
Locally, New York is in the middle of a heated mayoral election, with Democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani leading former governor Andrew Cuomo and current mayor Eric Adams. Polls show Mamdani holding a strong lead despite harsh criticism from President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers.
Mayor Adams joined former mayor Rudy Giuliani, who guided the city through the original tragedy, at the ceremony. At 8:46 a.m. local time, the exact moment Flight 11 struck the North Tower, the city observed silence as bells rang in churches and mosques, and relatives recited the names of the victims.
The official death toll stands at 2,977, including the passengers and crew of the four hijacked planes, workers and first responders in the towers, and those at the Pentagon, excluding the 19 Al-Qaeda hijackers.
What You Should Know
New York marked the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks with solemn ceremonies at Ground Zero, honoring nearly 3,000 victims.
The commemoration comes amid political unrest following Charlie Kirk’s assassination and a divisive mayoral race led by Zohran Mamdani, underscoring how the legacy of 9/11 still shapes America’s politics and identity.
