In New York City's East Village, you can find a storied firefighter company known as Ladder Company 11. Their major claim to fame was earned during the 9/11 terror attacks when they were among the first to respond to the scene. Tragically, six of their members were killed when the towers collapsed. In memory of their sacrifices, Ladder Company 11 emblazoned the names of the lost firemen on the back of their truck. They also fly an American flag with a "thin red line" on it to represent the service of the FDNY during the crisis. But that practice briefly came to a halt back on March 22nd when a man claiming to be a staffer for Democratic Manhattan Councilwoman Carlina Rivera pedaled up on a bicycle and informed them that the councilwoman wanted the flag to be replaced because it was a "fascist" symbol and violated rules about displaying "politically charged symbols" on city property. The head of the fire company sadly ordered the flat to be taken down. (NY Post)

Fire Department brass ordered an East Village ladder company to remove its “red line” American flag honoring the squad’s six brothers killed on 9/11 – after a neighborhood resident complained it was “fascist” and a local lefty pol questioned whether it was a “politically charged symbol.”

The shocking order came March 22 after a man claiming he was a staffer for Democratic Manhattan Councilwoman Carlina Rivera confronted firefighters at Ladder Co. 11, sources said.

The man pedaled up to the East 2^nd Street firehouse on a bicycle and told firefighters he worked for Rivera and that the councilwoman’s office “complained” to the FDNY three days earlier about the flag – which features a red stripe in tribute of firefighters injured or killed in the line of duty.

You can see a picture of the flag in the article linked above. Why anyone would call it a "politically charged symbol" (to say nothing of "fascist") is a mystery. We're not talking about a MAGA hat or a pro-Hamas swastika banner here. It's an American flag. The only modification is that one of the white stripes has been painted red in honor of the red uniforms worn by the FDNY. 

The situation was thankfully resolved after word of the order went viral and the complaints started rolling in. Councilwoman Rivera claimed that the entire episode had been a misunderstanding and began shifting the blame. She said that the flag could be displayed again and that she hadn't actually ordered it to be removed in the first place. She was just "asking questions." She said that the man on the bicycle wasn't really on her staff, but was simply a constituent who had been complaining about the flag. 

The flag is flying from the truck once again, but this entire affair never should have taken place. Perhaps Rivera gave the order or perhaps she didn't. That's not really the point. Whether it was her idea or the "constituent's," what sort of person would complain about an American flag flying on a fire engine? Even more to the point, who would be enraged by a modification subtly paying homage to our first responders?

The answer to that should be obvious. We're talking about the same type of people who slander the police and try to defund them. But this particular subspecies of jackasses are even more idiotic because they are attacking the people who literally rush to your rescue and risk their own lives when your house is on fire. The defunders complain that the police make too many arrests in minority communities. Is there something racist about putting out fires in minority communities? Should the FDNY just let the buildings burn?

Obviously they can't let all of the fires simply burn structures to the ground. But surely someone should be able to identify the man on the bicycle and find out whether or not he has ever been on Councilwoman Rivera's staff and figure out where he lives. If the FDNY were to have a list of buildings where they might not respond, that guy's apartment should probably be near the top of it.