A man wearing an official FDNY Ladder 58 jacket has sparked a social media brouhaha after shouting “Your body is mine” and “You’re having my baby” at abortion rights protesters – prompting the fire department to deny on Twitter that he is a member.
The footage emerged over the weekend, showing the man standing on the steps of Old St Patrick’s Cathedral, a Catholic Church in lower Manhattan, as activisits chanted and waved signs outside. Some clips show the man – who is also wearing an “America First” hat – praying the rosary with at least a dozen other people; the viral footage, however, shows him standing with just three other men and ranting at the crowd.
“I am the people,” he shouted. “The people have decided. The court has decided. You lose.”
He continued: “You have no choice. Not your body, not your choice, your body is mine and you’re having my baby.”
There was swift backlash from social media users as clips circulated – and FDNY soon responded.
“A video circulating from a protest in Manhattan over the weekend shows an individual wearing a FDNY sweatshirt,” read a statement posted on the department’s official Twitter account. “The individual in the video is not a member of the FDNY. The comments made to not represent the views of the FDNY. The matter is under investigation.”
The man’s jacket was emblazoned with the surname “Powers” along with “L-58,” which stands for Ladder 58, based in the Bronx.
Protests have been ongoing across the country since last week, when a leaked memo indicated the Supreme Court could strip back the abortion protections afforded by Roe v Wade, leaving states to decide on legislation regarding the procedure – and paving the way for Republican states to possibly ban abortions altogether.
Activist and author Amy Siskind tweeted the video, which has been viewed millions of times, writing: “This is where we are headed folks!”
Her post had been retweeted 17,300 times and liked by 27,000 people as of Monday afternoon.
