A verbal altercation erupted near the 9/11 Memorial in New York City on Friday, the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, when a man, reportedly a firefighter, confronted a pro-Palestinian demonstrator wearing an Elmo costume and carrying a Palestinian flag. Video shared on X by Turning Point USA captured the confrontation.
The man can be heard yelling, "F------ anti-American motherf-----. Go back to f------ Palestine. We don’t want you here." He also directed the protester to take former President Barack Obama, NYC Mayor Eric Adams, Gov. Kathy Hochul, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with him, adding, "Take ‘em all. They’re all no f-----g good! You’re no f-----g good."
It remains unclear if the man was an active or retired firefighter. The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) stated that the person in the video, who appeared to be wearing a uniform, was not and had never been a member of the FDNY, suggesting he might be from another fire department.
Following the confrontation, a voice in the video could be heard saying, "The Jews are committing a genocide," though it was not clear if the statement came from the protester or another individual present. Turning Point USA's post on X noted that "Frustration from Americans attending the 9/11 memorial service a few blocks away is spilling over."
Friday marked 25 years since the 2001 terrorist attacks that targeted the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. The anniversary ceremony at Ground Zero was attended by all living former presidents, Vice President JD Vance, Mayor Adams, Governor Hochul, and Representative Ocasio-Cortez. Former President Donald Trump delivered remarks at a separate ceremony at the Pentagon.