Watch Beastie Boys’ Ad-Rock Speak At Stand Up Against Hate Rally At Adam Yauch Park
On Friday, playground equipment in a Brooklyn Heights park named after the late Beastie Boy Adam “MCA” Yauch was defaced with swastikas and pro-Trump graffiti. Today, local politicians including New York State Senator Daniel Squadron and city councilman Brad Lander organized a “Stand Up Against Hate” rally at the same park, drawing a crowd of over 100 people carrying Beastie Boys-inspired signs like “No Sleep Till No Hate In Brooklyn.” Yauch’s bandmate Ad-Rock spoke at the event, telling the crowd, “Spray-painting swastikas in a children’s playground is a messed-up thing to do. And for many of us, it has special meaning, because this park is named for Adam Yauch, who was my friend and bandmate for over 30 years. But he was also someone that taught non-violence in his music, in his life — to all of us, and to me.” Ad-Rock’s While We’re Young co-star Ben Stiller was also in attendance.
Standing with people of Brooklyn, my daughter, @adrock, @DanielSquadron, and many more in Adam Yauch Park. #MCA #NYC #StandUpAgainstHate pic.twitter.com/C4pg6YFoJR
— Ben Stiller (@RedHourBen) November 20, 2016