October 1, 2009

Empire State lighting scheme attracts controversy

Days after the Empire State Building abruptly changed its scheduled lighting color to red from green, avoiding appearances it was making an anti-Iran political statement, the skyscraper is in hot water over its red and yellow color scheme to honor the 60th Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.

A handful of pro-Tibet protesters Wednesday denounced the move as support for the Communist takeover 60 years ago, according to the New York Times.

The skyscraper’s top three tiers last night were lit red/yellow/red and are scheduled to do the same tonight.

Last Thursday, the top had long been scheduled to go all green for the “The Wizard of Oz” 70th Anniversary Emerald Gala Celebration. Coincidentally, it overlapped with the United Nations General Assembly meeting, which was attended by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The Wall Street Journal, NPR and many other news outlets reported how happy protesters were over the fact the tower would be green — the symbolic color of Iran’s anti-Ahmadinejad movement — while he was in New York.

But as the sun set Thursday, the tower instead went all red. The building’s official lighting schedule noted the night’s colors as all red, but still stated it was for “The Wizard of Oz” 70th Anniversary Emerald Gala Celebration. Only later was it changed to The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary and the Ruby Slipper Collection.

In response to a request from NewYorkology, the official public relations firm for the Empire State Building that night issued a statement about the color change that said, in part: “The Empire State Building does not use its iconic tower lights to make political statements or support protests of any kind.”

Here’s the list of other upcoming lighting changes currently scheduled for October:

Oct 2, 3, 4 - blue/blue/white for American Academy of Dramatic Arts’ 125th Anniversary

Oct. 9, 10, 11, 12 - red/white/green for Columbus Day

Oct. 14 - purple/purple/white for NY State Coalition Against Domestic Violence/ Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Oct. 16, 17, 18 - all yellow for El Museo del Barrio’s grand re-opening

Oct. 20 - purple/red/red for Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation’s Gabrielle’s Gala

Oct. 21 - all red for Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum’s 50th birthday

Oct. 22 - yellow/yellow/yellow for Afterschool Alliance’s Lights on Afterschool

Oct. 23 , 24, 25 - purple/purple/white for Alzheimer’s Association’s 2009 Memory Walk

Picture credit: Amy Langfield/NewYorkology

Earlier: Empire State lit red for Wizard of Oz Emerald Gala

October 1, 2009 1:42 PM in Architecture, Cheap Stuff, Midtown, Sightsology

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