Obama Photo Op Terrorizes NY – With Video
Apr 27, 2009 44 Comments ›› Pat Dollard
OBAMA PLANE PHOTO OP STARTLES NEW YORKERS
By MURRAY WEISS, KIRSTEN FLEMING and JEREMY OLSHAN
A jumbo jet being chased by a F-16 fighter jets buzzed Lower Manhattan this morning, panicking New Yorkers, many of whom were forced to evacuate their office buildings.
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It was not a terrorist attack, however, but a photo opportunity for Air Force One, sources told the Post.
President Obama was in Washington at the time, but the low-flying 747 circling the Statue of Liberty was one of the planes used as Air Force One, sources said.
City officials were notified of the planned flight, but did not share that information with New Yorkers, many of whom said they were terrified.
Dominick Cadlioti, who works at the Mercantile Exchange, thought the worst as he saw the jets hurtle toward his window just after 10:30 a.m. After learning it was all a photo op, he was furious.
“It’s so stupid because they tell you about every fire drill, but they didn’t tell us about this,” he said.
The planes flew over the Verrazano Bridge, buzzed the left ear Lady Liberty and then continued up the Hudson past Jersey City and then circling back toward Staten Island, federal sources told the Post.
Thousands flooded the streets downtown as buildings called evacuations.
“There is situation outside. We don’t have any further information,” went one announcement at the Embassy Suites downtown.
After hearing it was all planned, many of those in the streets complained New Yorkers should have been warned.
“You don’t do this to people down here after all we have been to,” said Jillian Pievarello, who also works at the Mercantile Exchange.
According to the Department of Defense, that Presidential Airlift Group began its aerial photography mission at Andrews Airforce Base.
“This mission, involving the VC-25 and an F-16, was conducted in conjunction with normally scheduled continuation training for assigned aircrew members,” officials said.
NYPD brass say defense officials expressly told the city not to inform the public.
“The flight of a VC-25 aircraft and F-16 fighters this morning was authorized by the FAA for the vicinity of the Statue of Liberty with directives to local authorities not to disclose information about it but to direct any inquiries to the FAA Air Traffic Security Coordinator,” Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne said.
The mayor’s office was told the jets would only buzz the Statue of Liberty once, and not fly over downtown three times, a source said.
“Had we known, we would have pushed back,” the source said.
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