NEW YORK _ A Long Island town is investigating the circumstances behind one of its firetrucks displaying a Confederate flag.
According to the Brookhaven Fire Department, a photo circulating on social media of a Confederate flag hanging on the side of its fire engine is legitimate.
"The unauthorized action was done without the knowledge of our leadership team and is condemned in the strongest of terms," Chief of Department Peter Di Pinto Jr. told WNBC-TV. "We can assure our community that 'Racism has no home in our Firehouse.'"
Di Pinto said the officer who hung the flag acted alone without permission. Both the Fire Department and the town board are investigating.
The incident drew condemnation from several other prominent Long Island figures.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said he was "disturbed and angered" by the incident.
"While one incident or individual is not reflective of an entire Fire Department, it is a reminder that we still have more work to do to eradicate hate and bigotry on Long Island," Bellone added.
Former town supervisor candidate Will Ferraro called the incident "disgraceful and blatantly racist" on Facebook.
"Remember where we live, and the times we are living in," Ferraro added. "This isn't about one fire truck, one flag, and one individual who made everyone look bad. It's not about one Fire Department, on one day. This is Donald Trump's America, where racists are emboldened because the holder of the most powerful office in the land feels unrestrained in his freedom to attack and antagonize nonwhites.
"You can scapegoat the volunteer fire fighter who did this all you want, but it takes a village to raise a racist," he added.
