FDNY suspends 9 firefighters for racist jokes on George Floyd's death
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) finds itself in yet another racism controversy, which led to the suspension of nine firefighters. The scandal was broken on October 1 by The New York Times and is reportedly the largest punitive action the department has taken to date. At the heart of the scandal is the death of George Floyd, who the firefighters mocked in a racist thread according to the report.
The FDNY isn't the only department to feel the heat over the issue. Floyd's death, while a major flashpoint for Black Americans, was also a massive impetus for racists all over the US. In May, we reported that an LAPD cop shared a George Floyd meme, which got the attention of Chief Michel Moore. A Michigan police officer was suspended in February for sharing a racist meme on Floyd, as did an officer in the UK just five days after Floyd died.
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According to the explosive NYT report, the FDNY has a historic issue with racism, some of which came to light over the past two years. Before the death of Floyd, the department reportedly did not act, but all that changed after the tidal wave of protests over the summer of 2020. When Black officers reported the memes, the FDNY immediately acted, albeit quietly. Many believe that leaders "fell far short of addressing what they see as deeply rooted problems."
FDNY's issue with racism
The report outlines how one firefighter, Kareem Charles was given a racist nickname in 2015. " Black firefighters had warned him that speaking up about racism went against the culture at the New York Fire Department," the report said. The issue seems to stem from the overwhelmingly White force. Departmental data shows around 75% of FDNY firefighters are White, which has translated into predominantly White senior officers.
Those numbers translated to actions, with the NYT noting that officers once recommended using fire hoses on protesters to disperse them during the 2020 protests. The department only backed down once Eric Adams, now Democratic nominee for Mayor stepped in at the behest of several Black officers. It goes back even further though. The NYT noted that a training manual said, "Team building encounters special problems when the team has to readjust to new members, minorities or females, or members who are problems because they do not behave." That part was removed in 2019 as part of a "purge" of outdated language.
As part of that culture, a group of White firefighters reportedly had a secret text group where they shared racist memes and jokes. Screenshots of the content were leaked to many of those excluded, giving them an "unfiltered view into the racism in their department."
Racist thread exposed, firefighters suspended
Amongst the many disturbing memes and jokes shared, one had a dating profile for Floyd, with his "match" being a white knee. The group was dissolved shortly after some Black firefighters were added to it, but the damage was already done. The group was reported up the chain of command and this time the FDNY decided to act. First, Khalid Baylor, then the president of the Vulcan Society demanded an investigation into the incident.
Daniel A. Nigro, the Fire Department commissioner appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2014 said that when those involved were confronted, they defended themselves by saying they had thought the images were funny. "A man died in the street, and you’re using that image as some sort of humor?" Nigro retorted. The department has not identified the firefighters involved, but a spokesperson noted that they had been punished. It's unclear when the chat was exposed and when the individuals were suspended.
Nine fighters were suspended without pay for periods ranging from a few days to six months. A spokesman said the punishments were the "most severe discipline" the department has ever headed down. A fact that seems to be corroborated by evidence that the FDNY has rarely terminated its members or suspended them for long periods of time. The department is trying to clean up its act, by employing more people of color, but the story indicates that hiring more diverse candidates doesn't solve the underlying issue.