NEW YORK — Hundreds of New Yorkers rushed to Ground Zero early Monday morning, hanging an American flag from a lampost and popping bottles of champagne outside the former site of the Twin Towers' wreckage as they celebrated the death of Osama bin Laden.By 1 a.m., nearly 1,000 overjoyed city residents stood at the corner of Church and Vescey streets, singing the national anthem and proudly screaming the Pledge of Allegiance at the site of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the deadly assault that bin Laden masterminded nearly a decade ago.
Horns could be heard from passing ships on the East River. Chants of "Obama got Osama" rang out over the crowd from a man standing on the corner of Church and Vesey streets.
"It’s been 10 years. It’s been an open wound," said Norm Barber, 62, of Brooklyn. "You don’t forget. There’s a time for justice and tonight was it."
Shiela and Scott Porter ran out of their apartment overlooking Ground Zero after President Obama announced bin Laden’s death, joining in the raucuous celebration."It’s crazy that all these people chose to come here to be together and to pay respects," Scott Porter said.
Haley Knafel, 22, a student at New York University, heard the news from a Sri Lankan friend at her West Village dorm.
"It's an amazing moment in history," said the Midwest native. "I have so many family and friends that have fought in this war."
The moment was a time for reflection for some. Carmel Deamicis, 23, of New York City, quietly laid a bouquet of purple flowers outside Ground Zero as she spoke about the magnitude of the event.
"I feel like what happened on 9/11 defined our generation," she said.
