Fire Commissioner Gets Harsh Reception At St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The joy of marching in the annual New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade quickly turned ugly for New York City Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh, when she was met with a chorus of boos and catcalls from firefighters and their families watching from the sidelines.

Kavanagh has drawn the wrath of the FDNY rank and file recently for calling for an investigation and vowing to “hunt down’ firefighters who booed and chanted Donald Trump’s name when NY Attorney General Letitia James attended and addressed a recent promotion ceremony.

As Kavanagh led the head of the delegation for the fire department, a chorus of boos and catcalls broke out among the attendees, many of whom were wearing pro-Trump apparel and holding Trump signs. According to video posted on X by Fox News, one sign had Kavanagh’s face on the body of a donkey, with a caption reading, “Pin the tail on the jackass,”

The New York Post reported that after Kavanagh passed, uniformed FDNY members were seen waving and giving thumbs up to the loud group as they repeatedly chanted former President Donald Trump’s name. Some even stopped to shake their hands.

The recent controversy erupted when James, who is beloved by liberals for her legal attacks on former President Donald Trump, the National Rifle Association, and corporations, was invited to attend the department’s March 7 promotion ceremony at the Christian Cultural Center’s Brooklyn Campus.

Video of the event shows that as soon as James approached the podium, members of the audience which included on duty and off-duty firefighters, their families, and friends, began booing and jeering. James became visibly annoyed when many in the audience started chanting Trump’s name.

According to the Post, the public outburst at the ceremony angered Kavanagh, who launched an investigation to track down the offending firefighters.

A memo from the United Firefighter’s Association union also reinforced that the department’s Bureau of Investigations and Trials (BITS) was going after the offenders.

FDNY members “should understand that BITS is gathering video and identifying members that brought discredit … to the department. We want the members to come forward. They will come to HQ to be educated why their behavior is unacceptable.”