Bloomberg Booed During St. Patrick’s Day Parade Through Rockaways
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was booed when he walked in the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade when the route took him through the Rockaways area.
The booing and jeering became so loud as the controversial mayor marched through areas that are still ravaged from Hurricane Sandy that city council speaker Chrisine Quinn appeared to physically separate herself from the mayor.
Now coincidently, Quinn is campaigning to replace Bloomberg when his final term as NYC mayor is up. Despite being popular enough to win releection several times, Bloomberg is not immune to controversy. The mayor’s soda bans have drawn less than rave reviews from groups all over the map.
Bloomberg getting booed during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade is something new. The New York Daily News reports that at least some of the hostile feelings were based on his handling of the situation directly after Sandy receded.
Margaret Wagner was one who wasn’t afraid to let her feelings about the billionaire mayor be known saying:
“I booed loudly. We had no food, no shelter. People died here, and Bloomberg was on TV talking about a marathon. It’s appalling.”
The New York Post reports that other critics held up various signs that all showed their frustration at Bloomberg and other politicians in the parade they fell haven’t done enough to help clean up the Rockaways area.
Signs such as “May God bless and keep Mayor Bloomberg far away from the Rockaways” were seen all along the parade route. Congressmen Charlie Rangel got some abuse as well. After using a bullhorn to say “let’s hear it for the Rockaways” jeering of the politician could be heard loud and clear.
Perhaps in an attempt to diffuse some of the anger, Bloomberg gave a short speech at the end of the parade where he thanked sanitation workers as well as first responders. He then hastily got in his car and headed for home.’
Do you think Bloomberg deserved to get booed during the St. Patrick’s Day parade through the Rockaways?
