A new Fox News Christmas tree was unveiled in a lighting ceremony Thursday in New York City, the day after the original 50-foot tree was torched in an apparent arson attack.
The second All-American Christmas Tree was assembled and installed at Fox Square in a televised event that began at 5 p.m. EST during “The Five,” less than 48 hours after the first tree went up in flames shortly after midnight Wednesday morning.
“When our beautiful tree was burnt down by a repeat offender arsonist, we knew that we couldn’t let it stop us. We knew that we wouldn’t be deterred and we were determined to rebuild, so memories could once again be made on Fox Square,” said Fox host Jeanine Pirro. “And rebuild we did in record time.”
Craig Tamanaha, a 49-year-old homeless man with a history of arrests in New York and Texas, was charged with a half-dozen misdemeanor counts stemming from the fire. He was released later Wednesday without having to post bail.
Host Greg Gutfeld said that a “cowardly creep burned down our All-American Christmas Tree.”
“Even though the arsonist is already out on the streets, probably working at CNN, we want the bad guys to know that you can keep burning down our trees because we’re just going to keep putting up another one because that’s the real holiday spirit,” Mr. Gutfeld said.
The lighting ceremony for the enormous artificial tree, the tallest on the Avenue of the Americas, was attended by about 200 people, including Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Rev. Jacques DeGraff, FDNY Chaplain Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, as well as members of the New York Police Department and Fire Department of New York.
Fox News Media and Fox Corporation donated $100,000 to Answer the Call, which provides financial assistance to the families of fallen NYPD and FDNY members.
“At a time when law enforcement is constantly criticized and disrespected, we are once again shown how important their work really is, and we’re grateful for their service,” Mr. Gutfeld said.
The tree in Midtown Manhattan’s Fox Square, decorated with 10,000 glass ornaments and 100,000 lights, sits outside the News Corporation building, which also houses the Wall Street Journal and New York Post.
Host Dana Perino credited the American Christmas Company as well as Fox employees for the quick turnaround.
“It’s amazing that we can be here,” said Ms. Perino. “Nobody stopped working for the last 36 hours to make this happen.”
