Federalize the 9/11 Memorial, Install Permanent Security.
The Issue
We demand that the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City be designated federal property (National Monument or equivalent), placed under permanent federal protection with TSA-level security screening and a secure perimeter fence, and that acts of vandalism against it be prosecuted under federal law with the full penalties available for damage to U.S. property.
On October 26, 2026, a man spray-painted over the engraved names of dozens of 9/11 victims at the North Pool in broad daylight, filmed himself doing it, and openly took credit as a political stunt. He was charged under New York state law with criminal mischief and making graffiti. Under New York law this is treated as ordinary property crime. Under federal law (18 U.S.C. § 1361), willful damage to U.S. property exceeding $1,000 is a felony carrying up to 10 years in federal prison.
The 9/11 Memorial is sacred ground—the footprint of the Twin Towers, the site of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil. The names etched there are not a public canvas or political billboard. Treating their desecration as routine local vandalism is an insult to the victims, their families, the first responders, and every American who remembers that day.
The site is currently operated by a private nonprofit on land owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. It is not federal property. Temporary fencing appears for anniversary ceremonies, but the outdoor memorial plaza is otherwise open. That is not enough. This ground requires permanent, visible, federal-level protection: a secure perimeter fence, controlled access points with TSA-style screening, and federal jurisdiction so that anyone who paints over or damages the names faces the full weight of federal law.
President Trump has previously spoken about making Ground Zero a national monument protected and maintained by the United States government. Congress has the power to act. Flight 93 is already a National Park Service unit. The New York site—the primary target—deserves nothing less.
We call on Congress, the President, and relevant federal agencies to:
• Designate the 9/11 Memorial (and associated museum) as a National Monument or otherwise transfer it to permanent federal ownership and management.
• Install a permanent security fence and controlled-access perimeter around the memorial plaza.
• Implement TSA-type screening for all visitors entering the memorial.
• Ensure that any future vandalism or desecration is prosecuted under federal statutes with the maximum available penalties.
• Fund the necessary security, maintenance, and operations at a level commensurate with the site’s national significance.
The names of the dead are not a protest medium. Protect it accordingly.
35
The Issue
We demand that the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City be designated federal property (National Monument or equivalent), placed under permanent federal protection with TSA-level security screening and a secure perimeter fence, and that acts of vandalism against it be prosecuted under federal law with the full penalties available for damage to U.S. property.
On October 26, 2026, a man spray-painted over the engraved names of dozens of 9/11 victims at the North Pool in broad daylight, filmed himself doing it, and openly took credit as a political stunt. He was charged under New York state law with criminal mischief and making graffiti. Under New York law this is treated as ordinary property crime. Under federal law (18 U.S.C. § 1361), willful damage to U.S. property exceeding $1,000 is a felony carrying up to 10 years in federal prison.
The 9/11 Memorial is sacred ground—the footprint of the Twin Towers, the site of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil. The names etched there are not a public canvas or political billboard. Treating their desecration as routine local vandalism is an insult to the victims, their families, the first responders, and every American who remembers that day.
The site is currently operated by a private nonprofit on land owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. It is not federal property. Temporary fencing appears for anniversary ceremonies, but the outdoor memorial plaza is otherwise open. That is not enough. This ground requires permanent, visible, federal-level protection: a secure perimeter fence, controlled access points with TSA-style screening, and federal jurisdiction so that anyone who paints over or damages the names faces the full weight of federal law.
President Trump has previously spoken about making Ground Zero a national monument protected and maintained by the United States government. Congress has the power to act. Flight 93 is already a National Park Service unit. The New York site—the primary target—deserves nothing less.
We call on Congress, the President, and relevant federal agencies to:
• Designate the 9/11 Memorial (and associated museum) as a National Monument or otherwise transfer it to permanent federal ownership and management.
• Install a permanent security fence and controlled-access perimeter around the memorial plaza.
• Implement TSA-type screening for all visitors entering the memorial.
• Ensure that any future vandalism or desecration is prosecuted under federal statutes with the maximum available penalties.
• Fund the necessary security, maintenance, and operations at a level commensurate with the site’s national significance.
The names of the dead are not a protest medium. Protect it accordingly.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on October 30, 2026