PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — On the heels of last week’s City Council vote that gave the 76ers the green light to construct an arena in Center City, the No Arena in Chinatown Solidary Group gathered Wednesday night to share a different kind of holiday carol — one that denounced the arena altogether.
For the third year in a row, arena protesters — including community organizers and members of Philly’s Jewish community — performed anti-arena Christmas carols near Chinatown’s Friendship Gate at 10th and Arch streets.
To the tune of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” for example, they solemnly sang, “This deal is so bad for Philadelphians … / We’re gonna stop this arena if it takes many years.”
The group also lit Hanukkah candles, as the holiday started Wednesday evening. Organizers like Alisha Berry said the Jewish community wanted to show unity with Chinatown.
“We wanted to show up and just make it clear that as Jewish people, we were going to stand by Chinatown and not let them just take this neighborhood,” she said. “Even though the City Council just voted ‘yes,’ we felt it was important to come out here this week and just say ‘no,’ especially this year, Christmas and Hanukkah are on the same day.”
Many Jews participate in the unofficial tradition of eating Chinese food on Christmas, so Berry said it’s fitting that the community joined the anti-arena coalition.
“It started out as Jewish people who typically come to Chinatown on Christmas, wanting to show our solidarity,” Berry said. “And when they were first starting to talk about the arena, we started [organizing] right away.”
Jo Lin, another organizer, said Chinatown has successfully fought back in the past against pitches for a casino and a stadium in the neighborhood, so no matter how long it takes, they will keep fighting.
“What I want the mayor and what I want the City Council to know is that the people are united around Chinatown, and because we are united, we will win. It’s just a matter of time.”