This past Friday, Brooklyn’s Adam Yauch Park was vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti. The park, which features a playground and basketball courts, was named in honor of the late Adam “MCA” Yauch, a musician, rapper, and human rights activist from New York. Yauch was a founding member of the Beastie Boys, and was an outspoken advocate, along with his bandmates, for equality. Yauch, who was Jewish, died of cancer in 2012, at the age of 47.
Anti-Semitic Filth
The playground at Adam Yauch Park was found covered in anti-Semitic and pro-Trump graffiti, including swastikas and the phrase,
“Go Trump.”
It seems highly unlikely that the park was chosen at random to be vandalized. Yauch’s Jewish heritage was well-known, although he had adopted a Buddhist philosophy in adulthood. The park named in his honor was intended to be a gathering place for all New Yorkers. Yauch and the Beastie Boys were proud of their city and its residents, and sang about it in their 2004 song, “An Open Letter To NYC.”
“Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten
From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
Black, White, New York you make it happen
…Home to many rejecting no one
Accepting peoples of all places, wherever they’re from”
Theirs is clearly not a message that resonates with Trump supporters emboldened by their leader’s presidential win. Incidents of anti-Semitism and hate have been on the rise since the election.
The vandalism at Adam Yauch Park was quickly removed and painted over, and in its place, children left cutouts of hearts and flowers, and wrote messages of hope in chalk on the ground.
You Gotta Fight
On Saturday, the remaining members of the Beastie Boys announced that they would take a stand against hate.
“Hate has no place in Brooklyn, NYC, or America. Join us on Sunday to stand against hate messages.”
Hate has no place in Brooklyn, NYC, or America.
Join us on Sunday to stand against hate messages.
11:30, Adam Yauch Park, Brooklyn, NYC pic.twitter.com/DZXcUyZauP— Beastie Boys (@beastieboys) November 19, 2016
The group is planning an anti-hate rally for Sunday morning. They’re gathering with the members of the community to share the message that anti-Semitism, or any kind of hate, will not be tolerated. The rally will be led by State Senator Daniel Squadron, Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez, and city council members Steven Levin and Brad Landers. Religious and community leaders will be on hand as well; this is more than a few angry fans gathering in the park. New York City is coming together to fight against the hate that Trump supporters now feel justified in spreading.
The mayor’s office weighed in on the vandalism via Twitter.
Adam Yauch stood for tolerance. Call 911 if you see vandalism, harassment or hateful acts. #NotInOurCity https://t.co/scpiFTkNix
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) November 18, 2016
The Beastie Boys may have broken onto the scene with their hit “Fight For Your Right (To Party),” but they’re facing a much bigger fight today. Thankfully, the citizens of New York and people across the country are joining them in standing up against anti-Semitism and hate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LItOrlOi9SA
Featured image from Instagram.
