On July 17, 2015, a day after fervent Muslim Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez had shot and killed 4 Marines and a Navy petty officer in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the owners of New York’s iconic Empire State Building saw fit to have the tower lit in green to celebrate a Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan. (See “Who was Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, killer of 4 Marines in Chattanooga“)
AFP reports New York’s Empire State Building was lit in green late Friday to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. The green light will shine until the famous skyscraper closes to the public at 2:00 am (0600 GMT), when the building traditionally turns out its lights.
The skyscraper has had the tradition every year “for several years now,” a building spokeswoman told AFP.
The privately-owned Empire State Building shines specific colors for a number of religious holidays — pastel shades for Easter, blue and white for Hanukkah, and red and green for Christmas.
It also has marked a number of events — red, white and blue for the US women’s World Cup victory, rainbow colors for gay Pride Week, and blue, white and purple for World Oceans Day on June 8.
The tower is otherwise illuminated in white each night.
The building receives hundreds of requests each year to be lit in particular colors for various causes and events. It does not make its selection process public, nor does it accept requests for political campaigns, religious figures and organizations, or personal events.
Note: The Empire State Building is owned by the Empire State Realty Trust (ESRT). ESRT’s chairman emeritus is Peter L. Malkin; its chairman and CEO is Peter’s son, Anthony E. Malkin. Both are Jews.
~Éowyn
