VIDEO: Borough Hall recognizes Eric Garner, fallen police at Xmas tree lighting
Brooklyn had its very own Christmas tree lighting event in front of Borough Hall on Monday, and Borough President Eric Adams used the opportunity to promote unity between police and the community.
“We want to send a message throughout the entire borough and city that this tree lighting is done in celebratory fashion,” Adams said. “The only thing that should be divided between white, red and black are the tree lights, and not the people. We are one borough, one city, and that’s the message Borough Hall wants to continue to resonate from this building.”
After the tree was lit, Adams darkened the tree and held a moment of silence for Eric Garner and the police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty over the past year. There were 11 drum beats during the moment of silence to symbolize how many times Garner said, “I can’t breathe,” before he died, and then seven more beats to symbolize each officer who passed away in the line of duty in 2014.