NEW YORK — Thousands of people packed the sidewalks along the streets surrounding the World Trade Center site today, waiting patiently for President Barack Obama’s motorcade to pass.
American flags and Obama buttons are being sold for $2 each by street hawkers, and some are also selling „Osama is dead“ t-shirts.
One woman in the crowd chanted „Obama got Osama“ over and over and again, trying to lead the crowd in a chant.
On Church Street someone used blue tape to changed the sign to say „Win Street“ three days after the killing of 9/11 mastermind and al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
From the buildings to the streets, sidewalks are filled with people gathered to witness the wreath-laying ceremony at Ground Zero. Crowds are being kept from crossing the street.
City dump trucks filled with sand have been moved in to block the street where the President’s motorcade will pass.
A woman is leading the crowd in chants of „God bless the Navy Seals.“
EMS officers dressed in black uniforms are lining Church Street in a honor guard where Obama will pass.
One woman had person reason for being in Lower Manhattan today.
Ilia Rodriguez of Miami lost her son Carlos Rey Lillo, a paramedic with the New York Fire Department, on Sept. 11, 2001.
Rodriguez was holding a sign with her son’s picture. She also had laminated photos that were taken of him on 9/11 when he was taking people out of one of the towers. Her 37-year-old son, a Queens, N.Y. resident, died when he went back into the North Tower to try to save more people.
When she heard on television about bin Laden’s death, „it came back — everything — all the memories“
Asked why she came, Rodriguez said, „He was here, He’s still here.
„I am here and my son is there,“ she said pointing Ground Zero
Rodriguez was not among the victim’s family members invited to meet privately with the president, but if she had she said she would say „Thank you for what you did — to follow this guy and kill him.“
Meanwhile, Tricia Payne, 38, of Queens, N.Y. was on her lunch hour from the nearby New York Housing Authority and came to get a glimpse of Obama.
„We’re still keeping alert and abreast of our surroundings,“ she said standing in front of a barricade awaiting the president.
When asked why she was at Ground Zero. „It’s good to see the president here and show support for what he’s done.“
Students pay their respects
Jacob Appelbaum, a 21-year-old sophomore at Yeshiva University in New York was one of the thousands on hand. „It’s such a moment of closure,“ the Baltimore resident said. „It’s so strange, it’s like an end to it 10 years later.“
His friend and fellow Yeshiva student Todd Weinstein, 20, was carrying a sign on white poster board that he said was a quote from a Holocaust survivor: „I had never dreamed that the death of human beings — even of enemies — even of such enemies — could delight me.“
As of noon, the World Trade Center PATH station had been closed. Earlier, Port Authority police officers had ridden in the train from Newark with automatic weapons.
Travelers arriving at the World Trade Center PATH station were greeted by dozens of uniformed Port Authority police officers along with bomb sniffing dogs and what appeared to be members of the military in camouflage also carrying automatic weapons.
There is also heavy security around the World Trade Center site.
After the visit
Chants of „USA! USA! “ went up as Obama’s motorcade went up Barclay street, a block from Ground Zero. Thousands of people, including some who had been camped out for hours, packed sidewalks and lifted their cell phones and cameras in the air to get a photo of the president.
His motorcade was preceded by dozens of police officers on motorcycles. The president could be seen in his car waving at the crowd. A massive police presence waited at the corner of Church and Vessey streets, near where Obama got out of his car and went to meet with 9/11 families.
NEW YORK — Thousands of people packed the sidewalks along the streets surrounding the World Trade Center site today, waiting patiently for President Barack Obama’s motorcade to pass.
American flags and Obama buttons are being sold for $2 each by street hawkers, and some are also selling „Osama is dead“ t-shirts.
One woman in the crowd chanted „Obama got Osama“ over and over and again, trying to lead the crowd in a chant.
On Church Street someone used blue tape to changed the sign to say „Win Street“ three days after the killing of 9/11 mastermind and al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
From the buildings to the streets, sidewalks are filled with people gathered to witness the wreath-laying ceremony at Ground Zero. Crowds are being kept from crossing the street. City dump trucks filled with sand have been moved in to block the street where the President’s motorcade will pass.
A woman is leading the crowd in chants of „God bless the Navy Seals.“
EMS officers dressed in black uniforms are lining Church Street in a honor guard where Obama will pass. One woman had person reason for being in Lower Manhattan today.
Ilia Rodriguez of Miami lost her son Carlos Rey Lillo, a paramedic with the New York Fire Department, on Sept. 11, 2001.
Rodriguez was holding a sign with her son’s picture. She also had laminated photos that were taken of him on 9/11 when he was taking people out of one of the towers. Her 37-year-old son, a Queens, N.Y. resident, died when he went back into the North Tower to try to save more people. When she heard on television about bin Laden’s death, „it came back — everything — all the memories„
Asked why she came, Rodriguez said, „He was here, He’s still here“. „I am here and my son is there,“ she said pointing Ground Zero
Rodriguez was not among the victim’s family members invited to meet privately with the president, but if she had she said she would say „Thank you for what you did — to follow this guy and kill him.„
Meanwhile, Tricia Payne, 38, of Queens, N.Y. was on her lunch hour from the nearby New York Housing Authority and came to get a glimpse of Obama.
„We’re still keeping alert and abreast of our surroundings,“ she said standing in front of a barricade awaiting the president.
When asked why she was at Ground Zero. „It’s good to see the president here and show support for what he’s done.“
Students pay their respects
Jacob Appelbaum, a 21-year-old sophomore at Yeshiva University in New York was one of the thousands on hand. „It’s such a moment of closure,“ the Baltimore resident said. „It’s so strange, it’s like an end to it 10 years later.“
His friend and fellow Yeshiva student Todd Weinstein, 20, was carrying a sign on white poster board that he said was a quote from a Holocaust survivor: „I had never dreamed that the death of human beings — even of enemies — even of such enemies — could delight me.“
As of noon, the World Trade Center PATH station had been closed. Earlier, Port Authority police officers had ridden in the train from Newark with automatic weapons.
Travelers arriving at the World Trade Center PATH station were greeted by dozens of uniformed Port Authority police officers along with bomb sniffing dogs and what appeared to be members of the military in camouflage also carrying automatic weapons.
There is also heavy security around the World Trade Center site.
After the visit
Chants of „USA! USA! “ went up as Obama’s motorcade went up Barclay street, a block from Ground Zero. Thousands of people, including some who had been camped out for hours, packed sidewalks and lifted their cell phones and cameras in the air to get a photo of the president.
His motorcade was preceded by dozens of police officers on motorcycles. The president could be seen in his car waving at the crowd. A massive police presence waited at the corner of Church and Vessey streets, near where Obama got out of his car and went to meet with 9/11 families.
By
www.nj.com
