Nine
firefighters have been suspended without pay by the New York City officials for sharing a string of racist messages and memes on their
phones, including ones that mocked the police killing of George Floyd in
Minneapolis last year, according to media reports in the United States.

A
spokesperson called the suspensions the most severe punishments ever handed
down in the history of the Fire Department of the City of New York, according
to a report published in The New York Times.

The Fire
department suspended the nine firefighters without pay for periods ranging from
a few days to six months after looking into complaints by several African-American
firefighters, Fire Department Commissioner Daniel Nigro said, while adding that
one of the firefighters is expected to leave the agency after his suspension
ends. In addition, three fire department officers were reprimanded.

In the
messages and memes shared in April last year, white firefighters mocked Floyd’s
dying moments with Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin’s knee on his neck, the New
York Times reported. The report said that they also exchanged other racist
messages, including one about the use of fire hoses on protesters.

African-American
firefighters told the media house that they believed the suspensions fell far
short of addressing what they consider deep-rooted problems in the department,
where leaders have acknowledged that racism, sexism, and harassment have been
tolerated.

According
to Nigro, the department has embraced diversity initiatives and welcomed
historically diverse classes into the academy in recent years. He said the
department is working to become more inclusive, but he also admitted fault.

“We have
welcomed the folks in and now we have to make them feel welcome. We have to
make them feel as if they belong. And in some cases, we failed,” Nigro
told the newspaper.

(With inputs from the Associated Press)