Two Democratic New York state senators have apologized for posing with a banner that in contrast the seriousness of local weather change to the September 11 assaults that killed almost 3,000 individuals in Decrease Manhattan in 2001.

Sens. Robert Jackson and Rachel Might attended a local weather change rally on the New York State Capitol in Albany on Tuesday, the place activists had been demanding lawmakers embody $15 billion in climate-related funding of their state finances proposals due later this week.

The pair posed with an activist whose banner mentioned in pink letters over an illustration of the New York Metropolis skyline: "Get up American earlier than it is too late." A aircraft that seems to be flying towards the Twin Towers carries the phrases "local weather change," suggesting the specter of international warming is corresponding to that of 9/11.

Responding to the photograph, New York State Senate Republican Chief Rob Ortt tweeted: "This shameful use of 9/11 imagery offends each New Yorker. My colleagues @SRachelMay and @SenatorRJackson are utilizing a horrific assault on our Nation to advance their political agenda. The @NYSenDems ought to condemn this disgusting show."

New York Senators Pose With Climate Banner
A Twitter picture shared by New York State Senate Republican Chief Rob Ortt on March 9, 2022, exhibits two Democratic state senators posing with an activist who's holding a banner evaluating local weather change to the 9/11 terror assaults.Rob Ortt/ Twitter

Sen. Jackson tweeted in response: "At present, I attended a rally in assist of investments in addressing local weather change. I posed for photographs with many advocates standing on the rally, one in every of them a veteran of our nation holding up his banner.

"I didn't word the main points of the art work and would by no means assist something that denigrates the reminiscence of all who had been impacted by 9/11. The art work depicted is flawed and I absolutely reject it.

"As a NYC native who continues to be personally impacted by the occasions of that horrific day, I sincerely apologize to anybody who is perhaps confused by any political ploy to mischaracterize my actions.

"Certainly the one time I noticed the banner in its entirety was on the minority chief's social media. There are two truths right here: local weather justice shouldn't be a political agenda and 9/11 can by no means be used for political factors.

"As Chair of Civil Service and Pensions, I've labored with widows of 9/11 to make sure they get the advantages as a consequence of them on account of dropping their family members throughout these assaults and can proceed to assist all these impacted by today."

Sen. Might mentioned in an earlier tweet: "The imagery on the banner is unacceptable and I'd by no means endorse such a cynical use of our state's historical past to attain low-cost factors.

"I apologize sincerely to all New Yorkers and name upon the organizers to equally condemn this message."