In our latest print edition, we asked readers for their thoughts on this year’s rise in complaints over illegal fireworks in the neighborhood and across the City.

 

I still hear some every now and then. I still hear a few going off mainly at night but sometimes you don’t know if it’s a gunshot. It’s a crazy neighborhood out here – just got to be safe, but I like fireworks, but it’s over now. I think it was because of the COVID, because if this didn’t happen, the police would have been on it more. Last year it wasn’t like this. People had their fireworks, but it wasn’t as much as this year.                                                                        Sinclair Williams, West Farms

 

I don’t like them, and there were too many people doing wrong, and the fireworks were in the wrong hands. It was worse than ever, because I’ve never seen such a gunpowder smoke cloud in the air from fireworks. It looked like something from Vietnam. They’re not doing them as much at night anymore, thankfully.

Janice George, Norwood

 

It was loud, but exciting. It was much worse this year. There were too many people all crowded together, as close as we are. It was too congested. It seemed like people were just glad to get out, that’s what it was. Yes, it’s all done – a few firecrackers here and there, but that’s about it. Yes, the fireworks seemed more powerful this year than any Fourth of July that I’ve seen, and I’m 60 years old.

Kathy Morris, Norwood

 

I think there were a lot more fireworks this year than in past years – incessant noise for no reason. I think perhaps it was the African American communities protest and all the violence going on. Our civil disobedience is blowing up firecrackers, and everything going on now exacerbated it. I think it was a desire to express civil disobedience. I know that we have a lot of powerful fireworks in America.

                                      Jeffrey Williams, Kingsbridge

 

The illegal fireworks really was terrible this year. I’m really not sure what made it so bad, maybe less police in the area and people stuck in their homes from the virus and they just went berserk.

Curtis White, Morrisania