Earlier this week, vandals emblazoned Brooklyn’s Adam Yauch Park with graffiti featuring swastikas and the words “Go Trump.” Today, the Beastie Boys have announced an anti-hate rally to stand in defiance of the anti-semitic message. (Yauch’s mother is Jewish, although the rapper was raised in a non-religious household.)
“Hate has no place in Brooklyn, NYC, or America,” reads a message from the outfit’s social media wing. “Join us on Sunday to stand against hate messages. 11:30, Adam Yauch Park, Brooklyn, NYC”
Leading the weekend rally will be New York state senator Daniel Squadron, congresswoman Nydia Velazquez and city councilmembers Stephen Levin and Brad Lander. (Pitchfork reports Ad-Rock will be there as well.) Vandalism featuring Nazi symbolism has sadly become increasingly visible following this month’s election. Both the United States and Canada have seen buildings targeted with messages of hate.
As for Adam Yauch Park, it will likely look a tad different when Sunday’s rally goes down. NPR points out that kids came to the park’s rescue to turn this…
.@beastieboys Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn Heights was left defaced with ugly symbols of hate today. This cannot be the new normal! pic.twitter.com/xWjS7HLNyG
— Karen Wang (@kw492) November 18, 2016
Into this…
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNAAVAsgZRo/
Thanks to the families of Brooklyn Heights for showing that love trumps hate (photo by @buttermilk1). And to @NYCParks for fast re-painting. pic.twitter.com/ftQo3dk6bS
— Brad Lander (@bradlander) November 19, 2016
Quite the improvement, don’t you think? By the way, New York City Council Member Brian Lander tweeted his take on how Donald Trump has responded to the vandalism at the park.
Trump took time to condemn the thoughtful plea of the @HamiltonMusical cast. But not the swastikas in his name in a Brooklyn playground. https://t.co/3Qiibsm1wa
— Brad Lander (@bradlander) November 19, 2016
(Via Rolling Stone & NPR)
