Report: 9 NYC firefighters suspended over racist messages

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City officials have suspended nine firefighters without pay in connection with a string of racist messages and memes they shared on their phones, including ones that mocked the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last year. That’s according to a report in The New York Times’ Friday editions. A spokesperson called the suspensions the most severe punishments ever handed down in the history of the fire department. The suspensions ranged from a few days to six months and were the results of complaints by several Black firefighters. Fire Department Commissioner Daniel Nigro says the department has embraced diversity initiatives and is working to become more inclusive.