Outline Protest message circulating via social media decries the fact that first responders to the 9/11 disaster have not been invited to the tenth anniversary 9/11 memorial ceremony.
Brief Analysis
It is true that first responders have not been invited to the event. Various news articles about the issue report that first responders were not invited due to space constraints and that the memorial will focus on victims' families. New York authorities state that they are looking at other ways of recognizing and honouring first responders.
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Last updated: 25th August 2011
First published: 25th August 2011
Article written by Brett M. Christensen About Brett Christensen and Hoax-Slayer
Example
NYPD, FDNY AND EMS OFFICERS WERE NOT INVITED TO THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY CEREMONY OF 9/11... MAYOR BLOOMBERG CLAIMS THERE IS NO ROOM FOR THEM... 10 YEARS AGO, THEY WEREN'T INVITED, BUT THEY SHOWED UP WHEN EVERYONE ELSE WAS RUNNING OUT!!! RE-POST IF YOU AGREE THEY SHOULD BE THERE
Detailed Analysis
This protest message, which is currently circulating rapidly via Facebook and other social media sites, claims that first responders to the 9/11 attacks in New York have not been invited to the upcoming 9/11 tenth anniversary ceremony. According to the message, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has stated that there is no room at the event for first responders.
The claims in the message are true and have been confirmed by a number of credible news reports. An August 16 report published on UPI.com notes:
NEW YORK, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- First responders who rushed to the disaster scene on Sept. 11, 2001, are not invited to this year's memorial service at Ground Zero, New York officials confirm.
The service is scheduled for Sept. 11, 10 years after the terror attacks.
In a statement, a spokesman for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Andrew Brent, said the memorial is for victims' families, CNN reported.
New York – They were the first ones on the scene when the World Trade Center towers fell on September 11, 2001, but ten years later, the first responders are being told that they will not be invited to take part in this year's tenth anniversary ceremony at Ground Zero.
The city announced earlier this week that due to security and space issues, there would be no room for the first responders.
The move has generated much controversy and has been viewed by many as disrespectful to those brave men and women who risked their lives and health to respond to the disaster. New York officials claim that the 10th Anniversary memorial ceremony will focus on the families of victims. New York Mayoral spokesman, Andrew Brent told UPI that "given the space constraints, we're working to find ways to recognize and honor first responders, and other groups, at different places and times."
Although official invitations were not usually sent to first responders in previous years, they were still free to attend memorial ceremonies if they wished and many have done so. However, 2011 is reportedly the first year in which first responders have been officially advised that they are not invited to the event.
