Tweet
Just saw this article...whats up with this?
Firefighters Clash With Cops at Ground Zero
Staff and Wire reports
November 2, 2001, 11:58 AM EST
Enraged firefighters clashed with cops today during a protest against the city’s plan to cut the number of fire and police personnel searching for bodies at Ground Zero.
"Bring them home! Bring them home! Don't shut us out!," yelled the crowd of several hundred firefighters, demanding to continue their work unearthing the bodies of their fallen brothers.
Work stopped at Ground Zero, as construction workers froze at the sight of firefighters breaking through barricades and police officers restraining them. Several firefighters were handcuffed and taken away.
The several dozen police officers appeared to be taken off guard by the scores of angry firefighters walking south along West Street, from Chambers Street, to Ground Zero.
“Mayor Giuliani, let us bring our brothers home,” read one sign at the rally near the World Trade Center site where 343 firefighters and 23 New York City police officers were lost in the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
Other protestors waved flags and held placards with pictures of missing or deceased firefighters.
“Do the right thing!” the scores of protesters chanted as they listened to union leaders give speeches on bullhorns while standing on stilled cranes.
After a while the crowd calmed down. There was a moment of silence to honor the dead, and then they recited the Lord's Prayer before marching to Broadway and City Hall where they were again stopped by police officers at the gates.
"Pray that we can get our brothers out with dignity," a union official said on the bullhorn. "We want our brothers out with dignity."
The firefighters, joined by members of other unions, have worked around-the-clock at the scene since the twin towers collapsed.
But earlier this week that for safety concerns, he wants no more than 24 firefighters and 24 police officers at Ground Zero at any one time. Firefighters fear that would turn the World Trade Center recovery effort into a “full-time construction scoop and dump operation.”
“The reduction in emergency personnel is really an attempt to speed up debris removal, and it is upsetting to the families,” said Peter Gorman, president of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association.
Firefighters, who lost 343 of their own in the terrorist attacks on the twin towers, estimate that 250 firefighters are still buried in the rubble and want to continue to search for them. They liken Ground Zero to Pearl Harbor, and view it as sacred ground.
“That site, besides containing roughly 250 firefighter bodies, also contains many, many, many civilian bodies as well,” said Michael Carter, vice president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association.
The Police Department lost 23 officers, 21 of whom it says have not been recovered.
As the Ground Zero work continues, the city is exploring whether a giant dome could be built so the recovery effort can continue through the winter.
The idea was discussed by Robert Adams, safety director for the city Department of Design and Construction, who testified Thursday before the City Council’s environmental protection committee.
Copyright © 2001, Newsday, Inc.
Firefighters Clash With Cops at Ground Zero
Staff and Wire reports
November 2, 2001, 11:58 AM EST
Enraged firefighters clashed with cops today during a protest against the city’s plan to cut the number of fire and police personnel searching for bodies at Ground Zero.
"Bring them home! Bring them home! Don't shut us out!," yelled the crowd of several hundred firefighters, demanding to continue their work unearthing the bodies of their fallen brothers.
Work stopped at Ground Zero, as construction workers froze at the sight of firefighters breaking through barricades and police officers restraining them. Several firefighters were handcuffed and taken away.
The several dozen police officers appeared to be taken off guard by the scores of angry firefighters walking south along West Street, from Chambers Street, to Ground Zero.
“Mayor Giuliani, let us bring our brothers home,” read one sign at the rally near the World Trade Center site where 343 firefighters and 23 New York City police officers were lost in the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
Other protestors waved flags and held placards with pictures of missing or deceased firefighters.
“Do the right thing!” the scores of protesters chanted as they listened to union leaders give speeches on bullhorns while standing on stilled cranes.
After a while the crowd calmed down. There was a moment of silence to honor the dead, and then they recited the Lord's Prayer before marching to Broadway and City Hall where they were again stopped by police officers at the gates.
"Pray that we can get our brothers out with dignity," a union official said on the bullhorn. "We want our brothers out with dignity."
The firefighters, joined by members of other unions, have worked around-the-clock at the scene since the twin towers collapsed.
But earlier this week that for safety concerns, he wants no more than 24 firefighters and 24 police officers at Ground Zero at any one time. Firefighters fear that would turn the World Trade Center recovery effort into a “full-time construction scoop and dump operation.”
“The reduction in emergency personnel is really an attempt to speed up debris removal, and it is upsetting to the families,” said Peter Gorman, president of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association.
Firefighters, who lost 343 of their own in the terrorist attacks on the twin towers, estimate that 250 firefighters are still buried in the rubble and want to continue to search for them. They liken Ground Zero to Pearl Harbor, and view it as sacred ground.
“That site, besides containing roughly 250 firefighter bodies, also contains many, many, many civilian bodies as well,” said Michael Carter, vice president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association.
The Police Department lost 23 officers, 21 of whom it says have not been recovered.
As the Ground Zero work continues, the city is exploring whether a giant dome could be built so the recovery effort can continue through the winter.
The idea was discussed by Robert Adams, safety director for the city Department of Design and Construction, who testified Thursday before the City Council’s environmental protection committee.
Copyright © 2001, Newsday, Inc.
Comment