The Legal Aid Society released the following statement ahead of tonight’s vigil in support of the New Yorkers currently residing at the Lucerne Hotel in the Upper West Side:
“As we have said since day one, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s capitulation to a small group of vocal NIMBYists with a racist agenda is unconscionable and inexcusable. We are heartbroken that the men living at the Lucerne Hotel, primarily men of color dealing with a history of trauma, will be traumatized once again. The troubling message the City sends these New Yorkers by making this regrettable decision is clear: you cannot live here, and the voices of the people who complained are worth more to us than your well-being.
“This decision will have a long-term consequence by emboldening intolerance, so every time the City tries to site a shelter, or any other necessary services that people think they should not have to live near, bigots will express themselves in vile terms and demand the same preferential treatment from City Hall. Rather than joining the majority of New Yorkers to condemn this intolerance and defend the City’s powers, the Mayor caved, and this irresponsible decision will be his legacy unless he reverses course.”
About The Legal Aid Society
The Legal Aid Society exists for one simple yet powerful reason: to ensure that New Yorkers are not denied their right to equal justice because of poverty. For over 140 years, we have protected, defended, and advocated for those who have struggled in silence for far too long. Every day, in every borough, The Legal Aid Society changes the lives of our clients and helps improve our communities.
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