The Empire State Building in NYC was lit up like a giant siren last night and TBH it looks a little terrifying:

The @EmpireStateBldg reminding us that the city is in the middle of an emergency. pic.twitter.com/50TjEjOogN — Rita J. King (@RitaJKing) March 31, 2020

According to the official Twitter account for the building, this is to honor the “heroic emergency workers on the front line of the fight”:

[1/2] We’ll never stop shining for you. Starting tonight through the COVID-19 battle, our signature white lights will be replaced by the heartbeat of America with a white and red siren in the mast for heroic emergency workers on the front line of the fight. pic.twitter.com/OYkblLTRHN — Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) March 30, 2020

There was also a soundtrack on a local radio station:

[2/2] At 9PM, NYC’s theme song will play in our lights with our @iheartradio @aliciakeys #EmpireStateofMind music-to-light show, with the song playing simultaneously on @z100Newyork’s @ElvisduranShow. — Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) March 30, 2020

So, will they really keep this up throughout the entire crisis? That will be months and months:

I fully support the intention of this effort by the @EmpireStateBldg but recommend that the siren be replaced by the iconic pulsing heartbeat effect to reassure our heroic healthcare workers that their efforts will succeed, and soothe nervous New Yorkers now sheltering in place. pic.twitter.com/ajarFqrIu9 — Rita J. King (@RitaJKing) March 31, 2020

We weren’t the only ones to find it just a tad disturbing:

A little on the nose, Empire State Building. pic.twitter.com/kixDjTU4lk — southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) March 31, 2020

Here’s what it looks like from New Jersey with the USS Comfort in the shot as well:

On the right is the red siren in the fog that has become the top of Empire State Building to honor emergency workers. In the water on the left, the blue sirens from boats guarding the USNS Comfort. pic.twitter.com/FzFOiXQ2gU — Zach Haberman (@ZHaberman) March 31, 2020

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