Firefighters in New York’s East Village have been ordered to remove “red line” American flags in honor of six members of their team who lost their lives on 9/11.
This came after a neighborhood resident called the flag “fascist” and New York City Council member Carlina Rivera questioned whether it was a “politically charged symbol.”
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New York Firefighters’ Flag Honoring 9/11 Victims Called ‘Fascist Symbol’
It all started when a man claiming to be a Rivera Fire Department staff member was confronted by Ladder Co. 11 on March 22.
The New York Post reported, “The man pedaled to the East 2nd Street firehouse on his bicycle and told the fire department that he worked for Rivera and that the councilwoman’s office had ‘complained’ to the FDNY three days earlier regarding the flag – which features a red stripe in homage to firefighters injured or killed in the line of duty.”
“He called it a ‘fascist symbol’ and asked why it was still hanging, sources say,” the Post notes.
The story continued:
In a March 19 email to FDNY Intergovernmental Affairs Coordinator Madison Hernandez, Rivera staffer Lisander Rosario said the councilwoman’s office was contacted by the “constituent” twice about the flag of ladder company and asked if he was violating department rules. “[FDNY staff] claimed it was to honor deceased firefighters, however, [the constituent] said they could have used an FDNY flag rather than a politically charged symbol,” Rosario wrote.
“It is his and our understanding that private political symbols cannot be displayed on public vehicles.”
“Can you confirm if there are any violation flags/symbols on scale 11?” she added to the email, which was obtained by The Post.
Hours after the “constituent” left the firehouse, FDNY Deputy Chief Joseph Schiralli visited the fire department and reluctantly said the flag had to be taken down from the fire truck because it violated the department’s ban on “altered” versions of the American flag.
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The American flag returns
Hours after the flag was removed from the fire truck, the decision had apparently been reversed.
“Commissioner Kavanagh and Department Chief John Hodgens reversed the decision and allowed the flag to be returned to the truck,” the Post reported. “We’re happy with the outcome of this, but we’re offended that it happened in the first place,” said a Ladder 11 firefighter.
“This flag has enormous meaning for us,” he added.
9/11 was obviously one of the worst tragedies America has ever experienced. It was undeniably the largest domestic terrorist attack in US history.
And the New York firefighters intervened on the front line.
Many of those heroes lost their lives that day trying to protect their fellow citizens. We owe them a debt of gratitude.
At the very least they deserve to be remembered by their brothers. Shame on anyone who would say otherwise.
