In response to a distinct uptick in midnight fireworks concentrated in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Council Member Andrew Cohen, and Congressman Eliot Engel have issued the following statement:

 

“We appreciate that some of our neighbors want to show their support for essential workers and that using small firecrackers – although illegal in New York City – is a way for them to do that during the 7pm clap. However, the fireworks being set off later into the evening – even after midnight – are not firecrackers. They are massive, loud, and startling for many of our neighbors (and their pets) who are most likely asleep when these are being exploded.”

 

“The explosions are sometimes followed by sirens, meaning that there are firefighters or other first responders who are being made unavailable to respond to real emergencies because of these fireworks. To the individuals who are setting off these massive fireworks, please find another way to show your support for essential workers if that’s what you are actually trying to do. The way to honor our essential workers is certainly not by waking them up in the middle of the night with a massive explosion outside their window.”

 

One Twitter use in Riverdale confirmed this was happening.

Yes! It’s been happening almost every night. Four or five just went off at 9pm in northern Riverdale. Very scary.

— sad girl a.t. (@Andraapop) May 24, 2020

 

Meanwhile, Ramdat Singh said he hears fireworks almost every night from late afternoon into the early evening near his apartment in West Kingsbridge, close to Broadway and West 231st Street. “They sound like multiple gun shots, and it’s very disturbing,” Singh said.

 

Late night fireworks have also been witnessed in Van Cortlandt Park recently by residents, and by our own contributor, José A. Giralt, who posted the following video link on May 16 to Facebook.

 

All consumer fireworks are illegal in New York City pursuant to section 405.00 and 270.00 of the Penal Law of NY and a corresponding local law in New York City.