There is a new controversy over the Puerto Rican Day Parade's plan to honor a former leader of a group blamed for terror bombings in the 1970s. A Republican candidate for mayor is demanding that Mayor Bill de Blasio bow out of the march. NY1's Angi Gonzalez reports.

"My father was murdered by the FALN in this building," said Joseph Connor

Connor's banking executive father, Frank, was one of four people who died when the Puerto Rican nationalist group FALN bombed Fraunces Tavern in 1975.

On Tuesday, Joseph Connor stood outside the landmark, to denounce plans to honor the FALN's former leader, Oscar Lopez Rivera, at the Puerto Rican Day Parade on June 11. 

 “Now somehow our political leaders in this city have deemed him a hero of freedom — a hero of freedom — from the man who wanted to turn Puerto Rico into another Cuba," said Joseph Connor, son of a FALN bombing victim.

Connor's comments added an emotional note to a news conference by Republican mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis. She demanded that Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark Viverito abandon their plans to march in the parade.

 “It is equivalent to 40 years from now saying it is ok to honor a member or leader of Al Qaeda, Timothy McVeigh or Ramzi Yousef,” said Malliotakis.

The Police Commissioner and some politicians, including Governor Cuomo...have said they will not march, and a number of major sponsors have pulled out.

"For one person he’s an activist for another person he’s a terrorist – I don’t feel comfortable marching in a parade that honors him," Cuomo said.

Oscar Lopez Rivera was never specifically tied to the bombing here at the Fraunces Tavern but those opposed to his participation in the Puerto Rican Day parade say that's not what they take issue with they say it's his overall connection to the group behind the bombing, the FALN.

Still, organizers are steadfast in their decision to honor Lopez Rivera, who was released this month after serving more than 35 years in prison.

They say the honor is simply recognition of one man's fight for Puerto Rico's sovereignty.

The mayor's office declined to comment.