Yes, there were some clowns, like the pro-Palestinian streaker at Yankee Stadium, but for the most part, the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks was not marked by blatant insanity. At least not on the scale the Left saw after the 2016 and 2024 elections and the conclusion of the recent Lindsay Clancy trial. But what happened across the river on the eve of the anniversary was excellent. It was a worthy tribute.
Alexander Hall, a senior producer with Fox Weather, captured the moment: a bagpiper in Jersey City paid his respects, marching to the waterfront, where you can catch a great view of One World Trade Center. It provided a helluva image. The bagpiper then played a rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner — just incredible:
Just now: Emotional bagpipe tribute at Jersey City 9/11 memorial @foxweather @livenowfox pic.twitter.com/Kj2CKqfvKG
— Alexander Hall (@alexanderhall) September 11, 2026
Just unbelievable. ❤️🩹 https://t.co/Kqb6q4ctxM pic.twitter.com/ZUFNdyQJrZ
— Alexander Hall (@alexanderhall) September 11, 2026
The role of bagpipes were explained further, and it's a worthy tradition (via 9/11 Memorial and Museum):
“The bagpipes are a large part of what took place after 9/11. All three pipe bands — PAPD, NYPD and FDNY — played at every single funeral, memorial service and dedication pertaining to 9/11,” said Brian Ahern, a piper in the PAPD pipe band. “It was our job to provide a proper sendoff to those who passed away that day and provide the families with closure.”
Stationed at the George Washington Bridge, Ahern has been a police officer with the Port Authority Police Department since February 2001. He started playing the bagpipes when he was 12 years old, and he has played with the PAPD band for the last 17 years.
“I first started as a cop in ’99 with the NYPD, and then I transferred over to the Port Authority,” Ahern said. “When I was in the academy one of the instructors, Ricky Rodriguez, was in the pipe band and he found out that I played.”
Richard Rodriguez encouraged Ahern to join the PAPD pipe band, but they were never able to play together; Rodriguez was one of the 37 PAPD officers who died on 9/11.
“A couple days after 9/11, I ran into the pipe major. He knew that I played and said, ‘I need you at a funeral tomorrow,’ and that was my first day in the band,” Ahern said. “It was trial by fire; You do what you have to do to send these guys off.”
The tradition of playing bagpipes in Foundation Hall began in May 2014 as part of a ceremony held in the 9/11 Memorial & Museum to honor the 12th anniversary of the formal end of the rescue and recovery efforts.
Never Forget.
