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Akbar Novruz

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The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has designated former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani as an “anti-Muslim extremist” following remarks the Muslim advocacy organization described as “bigoted.”

CAIR announced the designation on Wednesday, citing comments Giuliani made during a Newsmax interview earlier this week in which he criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and questioned his attendance at a September 11 memorial ceremony.

“It offends me that he's coming,” Giuliani said of Mamdani’s planned participation in Friday’s 9/11 memorial service.

During the interview, Giuliani also claimed that Muslims were taking over parts of the United States and Europe.

“They (Muslims) want to dominate us. That's what they're taught the day they begin their extremist religious education. Mamdani is a clear supporter of that. All of the Muslims he supports are murderers,” Giuliani said.

CAIR Research and Advocacy Director Corey Saylor said the organization’s designation was based on what it described as Giuliani’s long-standing criticism of Muslims.

“Mr Giuliani has a decades-long record of targeting our community simply because of our faith, and we are designating him an anti-Muslim extremist as a result of his hateful views,” Saylor said in a statement.

Giuliani, who previously served as an adviser to US President Donald Trump during his first administration, has been among the critics of Mamdani’s attendance at the 9/11 memorial.

Asked about Giuliani’s comments on Monday, Mamdani declined to directly respond to the former mayor’s criticism. Instead, he said the week should remain focused on those affected by the September 11 attacks.

“I want this week to be focused on the families whose loved ones were stolen from them 25 years ago in the horrific act of terror of September 11, and a focus also on the first responders who did everything they could,” Mamdani said.

Meanwhile, a petition calling for Mamdani not to attend the memorial has attracted more than 100,000 signatures. Organizers argue that his past statements, political associations and political views are incompatible with what they regard as the solemn purpose of the ceremony.

New York City Councilwoman Vicky Paladino, who is promoting the petition alongside Queens Republican Councilwoman Joann Ariola, held a press conference on the steps of City Hall on Tuesday.

Paladino said she was demanding that Mamdani stay away from the memorial, arguing that “he does not belong there.”