“It's a good day—it's a sad day,” reflected Battalion Chief John Plant of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY). He looked up at 4 World Trade Center, the half-finished facade surrounded by cranes. One World Trade Center now stands more than 60 floors high, 4 World Trade Center is over 25 stories, and both continue to grow.
Plant served 23 years with FDNY and was on site nearly 10 years ago after the towers fell. Happy to hear that justice was served, happy to see buildings rise from the rubble, he came to meet up with friends at the site once filled with only sorrow. As Plant congregated with his fellow firefighters, Bloomberg broadcast his message to New Yorkers on the historic day.
“Osama bin Laden is dead, and the World Trade Center site is teeming with new life. Osama bin Laden is dead, and Lower Manhattan is pulsing with new activity. Osama bin Laden is dead, and New York City's spirit has never been stronger!” declared the mayor.
Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks the NYPD has built up a world-class counterterrorism force, Bloomberg reminded the crowd. The mayor assured New Yorkers that no new threat has been identified as yet, but the authorities continue to vigilantly guard the safety of all citizens.
The Port Authority increased security forces at the WTC site and all of their facilities.
“This response is not based on a current threat, but out of an abundance of caution until we have the chance to learn more,” Port Authority Executive Director Chris Ward assured the public in a statement. All Port Authority facilities are operating as normal.
The mayor noted that after so many years, a generation is already growing up that is too young to understand the significance of Sunday night's announcement.
“When I was 10 I didn't really understand everything,” said an ecstatic young woman, Kelly Shaad, as she joined the merrymakers Monday morning. “Growing up through it, you understand everything and it's just so meaningful to be an American and to have such an accomplishment!” she exclaimed.
Firefighter Mike Daly also shared his joy.
Celebrations were tempered by sorrow. A sobbing woman stood by the memorial etched with the names of the fallen. Beside her triumphant, smiling faces posed for photos in front of a fire truck, the ever-rising 4 World Trade Center in the background.
As elation and sorrow mingled, on nearby Wall Street the emotional surges rippled into the New York Stock Exchange.
A newly affirmed confidence in American might could boost the market, predicted a Wall Street Journal blog . Conversely, oil prices dropped 3 percent early Monday. Some analysts attribute the decrease to a certain terror premium reflected in oil prices.
Far from Wall Street or the WTC site, in the outer reaches of northern Queens, state Sen. Tony Avella hosted a motorcade to celebrate the nation's victory over terror. He hung wreaths on street signs bearing the names of residents from his district whose lives were cut short either on Sept. 11, 2001, or in the wars that ensued.
“In the past 10 years we have become involved in several overseas conflicts that were spawned as a result of the attacks of 9/11 and we have experienced a global rise in large-scale and small-scale terrorist activity. Throughout this time Osama bin Laden has served as the figurehead for the al-Qaeda terrorist network and of terrorism throughout the world. His death at the hands of American soldiers on the ground serves as a psychological and emotional punch to extremists and terrorists around the world and provides incredible boost to military morale,” stated Avella in a press release.
