Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser sent a message that will be difficult for the White House to ignore.
The city renamed a portion of a street outside the White House “Black Lives Matter Plaza” on Friday. On the same street, 16th Street NW, large yellow letters were painted on the pavement that read, “Black lives matter.” The street leads to Lafayette Park, which sits in front of the White House. The painting stretches across four lanes from sidewalk to sidewalk.
It was a message of support to protesters demonstrating against police brutality and racial injustice.
The section of 16th street in front of the White House is now officially “Black Lives Matter Plaza”. pic.twitter.com/bbJgAYE35b
— Mayor Muriel Bowser #StayHomeDC (@MayorBowser) June 5, 2020
#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/OQg6977n5r
— Muriel Bowser #StayHomeDC (@MurielBowser) June 5, 2020
Black lives matter mural in front of the White House. ❤️#BlackLivesMatter #BlackLivesMatterDC #dcprotest #dcmural pic.twitter.com/SEI2zdRJoM
— Nadia N. Aziz (@NadiaInDC) June 5, 2020
The painting was commissioned by Bowser, and the project began early Friday, according to CNN.
The mayor’s office did not respond to a request for comment from the Washington Examiner.
The local chapter of Black Lives Matter criticized the move as a “performative distraction from real policy changes.”
“This is to appease white liberals while ignoring our demands. Black Lives Matter means defund the police,” the group tweeted.
This is a performative distraction from real policy changes. Bowser has consistently been on the wrong side of BLMDC history. This is to appease white liberals while ignoring our demands. Black Lives Matter means defund the police. @emilymbadger say it with us https://t.co/w0ekwSG1ip
— BlackLivesMatter DC (@DMVBlackLives) June 5, 2020
The area surrounding the White House has been the site of daily protests that began after George Floyd, an unarmed black man in Minnesota, died after a white police officer pressed a knee to his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Bowser, a Democrat, has also called on President Trump to remove federal law enforcement and military from Washington, saying the personnel are a safety risk to protesters who have been mostly peaceful.
