PHOTOS: Bay Ridge melting pot celebrated during neighborhood march

During a Monday, January 18 march organized by local residents hoping to curb anti-Muslim rhetoric they say has run rampant in the neighborhood—both online and in person, the community banded together to celebrate all of the different cultures and denominations represented in  Bay Ridge.

“It all began on Facebook,” noted organizer Teri Brennan. “My personal opinion is that there aren’t that many haters—they’re just really loud. A lot of the time it’s easier to look for the opportunity to hate so we thought, let’s create an opportunity for people who want to raise their voices in kindness.”

The march kicked off on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at 1 p.m. near the corner of 86^th Street and Fort Hamilton Parkway and spanned 86^th Street towards Fifth Avenue. From there, supporters took a right and made their way to Salam Arabic Lutheran Church, 414 80^th Street, where they remained to reflect on the afternoon.