(New York) US Vice President Kamala Harris, Republican presidential candidate and current Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani joined mourners in New York during a ceremony commemorating the September 11, 2001 attacks on Monday.
The bipartisan group of politicians was not scheduled to speak at the ceremony marking the 22e anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil. The solemn ceremony focused instead on reading the names of those who lost their lives on the day of the attacks.
Nearly 3,000 people were killed when hijacked planes crashed into the two towers of the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington on September 11, 2001. Another hijacked plane also crashed in Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew members attempted to regain control.
The commemorations made it possible to see politicians from all parties in the same place, even if they did not seem to interact.
Alongside Mme Harris included Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Mayor Eric Adams, and former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg.
Not far away was Mr. Giuliani, who was once hailed as “America’s mayor” for leading New York City in the wake of the attacks, but who in recent years has become associated with the efforts of the former President Donald Trump to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss to Joe Biden.
Mr. Trump, a former New Yorker, did not attend Monday’s ceremony, but instead released a brief video statement speaking about the attacks and honoring the first responders.
Mr. Biden was to mark this day at a military base in Anchorage, Alaska, as he returned to Washington after a trip to India and Vietnam.
In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reacted in a press release on 22e anniversary of the attacks.
“Today we remember the nearly 3,000 people, including 24 Canadians, who lost their lives that day due to a senseless act. Our thoughts are with those who lost loved ones, the thousands of injured and all those who are still living today with the trauma caused by this tragedy,” he wrote.
“On this National Day of Service, we remember communities like Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, who brilliantly embodied our country’s values by welcoming stranded passengers into their homes to provide comfort and a hot meal and a place to sleep.
“Twenty-two years later, we have not forgotten those we lost on September 11 – and we never will. »
With information from The Canadian Press
