The Memphis Fire Fighters Association on Wednesday condemned the “shameful” comments by Memphis City Councilwoman Yolanda Cooper-Sutton, a Democrat whose political campaign was once interrupted by a drive-by shooting, who on Tuesday said Memphis firefighters are “raping the city” over their request for the city to grant the raise promised in 2024.
Cooper-Sutton (picture above) made the remarks on Tuesday, but the portion of the live stream posted to YouTube appears to be missing this section, despite the Memphis City Council telling The Daily Memphian that it is able to be viewed. A video of the councilwoman’s remarks was instead posted to social media by the Memphis radio program “Nation of Jake.”
In the viewable portion of the city’s live stream, Cooper-Sutton said, “We are in a different time. And this will be my second budget, but it’s the same players and the same gatekeepers that come here asking for money from a poor city.”
During the missing portion of the live stream posted to social media, Cooper-Sutton stated, “We keep doing business with the same people and the same players sitting in the same seats doing the same thing all the time. Everybody just wants, wants, rape this city, the same players, the same faces, come here and you rape, and you rape, and you take, and you take, and you take from this city since I’ve been living here.”
She added, “I’m not a native Memphian but I’ve been here and I’ve watched it over and over and over again. We’re in a lawsuit right now with all these unions and because of this and that.”
In the portion of the video streamed by the city to YouTube, Cooper-Sutton also appeared to accuse the firefighters of greed.
“You’re greedy and you want what you want because you think you can do it and you’re wrong,” said the Memphis Democrat. “You’re wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, and God sees your intention, and He sees your hearts, and He’s going to deal with each and every one of us accordingly.”
The Memphis Fire Fighters Association sued in July after the city only granted a 3 percent raise. Memphis Mayor Paul Young, another Democrat, unsuccessfully sought to pass legislation granting the remaining 2 percent of the raise during the Tuesday council meeting.
“Last night, a Memphis City Council member accused our fighters of raping this city,” said the Memphis Fire Fighters Association in a statement posted to social media. “They don’t rape our city; they serve our city.”
Explaining that they are simply seeking the remainder of the 5 percent raise promised last year, the firefighters stated, “To have those efforts compared to rape is a shameful, reckless, and unethical comparison.”
The latest friction in Memphis comes after 13 labor unions representing city workers held a protest over agreements with the city in October. During that protest, one labor leader declined to comment on whether a strike was imminent.
Cooper-Sutton recently disagreed with her colleagues over a failed resolution that would have urged Governor Bill Lee not to send National Guard troops to the city as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force, declaring the resolution an effort to “grandstand” and “make a fool out of the people.”
Watch the portion of Cooper-Sutton’s made available by the city on YouTube:
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Yolanda Cooper-Sutton” by Memphis City Council.
It’s good to see y’all come around and support a union. I’m sure IAFF Local 1784 appreciates your support.
What a vile individual. Demonrats not only don’t care about law enforcement, they don’t seem to care about fighting fires, either. The party of death and destruction.