Ladder Co. 11 in the East Village was told to remove its “red line” American flag after a neighborhood resident complained it was “fascist” and a local politician questioned whether it was a “politically charged symbol.”
Ladder Co. 11 lost six brothers killed on 9/11 and the flag is to remember and honor the fallen.
According to The New York Post, a man claiming to be from Democratic Manhattan Councilwoman Carlina Rivera’s office, approached the firehouse and said councilwoman’s office “complained” to the FDNY three days earlier about the flag.
He then called it a “fascist symbol” and demanded to know why it had not been removed.
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 ladder company’s flag and asked if it’s violating department rules.
“[FDNY staff] claimed it was to honor deceased firefighters, however, [the constituent] brought up that they could’ve used an FDNY flag rather than a politically charged symbol,” Rosario wrote.
“It is to both his and our understanding that private political symbols aren’t permitted to be displayed on public vehicles.”
“Can you confirm if there are any violating flags/symbols on Ladder 11?” added the email, which was obtained by The Post.
Hours after the “constituent” left the firehouse, FDNY Deputy Chief Joseph Schiralli visited firefighters there and reluctantly said the flag must come off the fire truck because it violated a department prohibition of “altered” versions of the American flag.
New: FDNY Firefighters forced to remove “red line” flag from fire truck hung to memorialize their fallen brothers in 9/11
A politician in Alphabet City came by the fire house and confronted NY’s bravest for having the flag on their rig stating, “isn’t that flag in support of the… pic.twitter.com/u0fXSAPy2k
— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) March 22, 2024
After intense public backlash, Laura Commissioner Kavanagh and Chief of Department John Hodgens reversed the decision.
Councilwoman Rivera insisted to The Post that her office never contacted Ladder Co. 11 about the issue and the initial complainant came from a constituent, not a staffer.
The flag flies above a plaque honoring the firehouse’s fallen brothers.
The post City Backs Down After FDNY Firefighters Told to Remove Red-Line Flag Honoring Brothers Lost on 9/11 appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.