Bells, political conflicts mark yearly 9/11 tributes
Bells tolled across New York City, President Donald Trump spoke at the Pentagon, and moments of silence were observed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and across the nation Wednesday as America commemorated the 18th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
Politics also took center stage as Trump targeted the Taliban and a Ground Zero family member took aim at comments made by a Muslim congresswoman.
In New York, the names of the almost 3,000 people who lost their lives were solemnly read at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.
The first moment of silence was observed at 8:46 a.m. EDT to mark the time when American Airlines Flight 11, en route to Los Angeles from Boston when it was hijacked, slammed into the north face of the World Trade Center’s North Tower.
More moments of silence followed:
❚ At 9:03 a.m. for United Airlines Flight 175, also bound for Los Angeles from Boston, when it crashed into the south face of the World Trade Center’s South Tower.
❚ At 9:37 a.m. for American Airlines Flight 77, scheduled to fly from Washington to Los Angeles when it hit the Pentagon.
❚ At 10:03 a.m. for Flight 93, flying from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco when it slammed into a western Pennsylvania field.
The World Trade Center’s South Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m.; the North Tower fell 29 minutes later.
The New York ceremony was open only to family members, but the event was streamed live. The memorial was open to the public later in the day.
Nicholas Haros Jr., whose mother, Frances, died in the World Trade Center, challenged a statement this summer from Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., that “some people did something and that all of us were starting to lose access” to civil liberties. Haros wore a black T-shirt with the words “Some people did something” as he read the names of the dead.
In Shanksville, Vice President Mike Pence lauded heroes from United Airlines Flight 93. The Memorial Plaza is near the site where Flight 93 crashed into a field after passengers fought with hijackers intent on crashing into the U.S. Capitol.
Trump led a brief remembrance on the South Lawn of the White House, joined by hundreds of guests, including 9/11 survivors and family members and current and former law enforcement personnel. He then spoke at a ceremony at the Pentagon.
Trump blamed the Taliban for the cancellation of peace talks.