President Trump slammed New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio over his plan to paint “Black Lives Matter” in front of Trump Tower.
The criticism appeared in a pair of tweets Wednesday, which also castigated the reallocation of $1 billion from the New York Police Department amid calls to defund the police following the death of George Floyd.
“NYC is cutting Police $’s by ONE BILLION DOLLARS, and yet the @NYCMayor is going to paint a big, expensive, yellow Black Lives Matter sign on Fifth Avenue, denigrating this luxury Avenue,” Trump said of the painting which will be featured outside the mixed-use tower on Fifth Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets.
“This will further antagonize New York’s Finest, who LOVE New York & vividly remember the horrible BLM chant, ‘Pigs In A Blanket, Fry ‘Em Like Bacon’. Maybe our GREAT Police, who have been neutralized and scorned by a mayor who hates & disrespects them, won’t let this symbol of hate be affixed to New York’s greatest street. Spend this money fighting crime instead!” Trump added.
….horrible BLM chant, “Pigs In A Blanket, Fry ‘Em Like Bacon”. Maybe our GREAT Police, who have been neutralized and scorned by a mayor who hates & disrespects them, won’t let this symbol of hate be affixed to New York’s greatest street. Spend this money fighting crime instead!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2020
The decision to paint “Black Lives Matter” in front of Trump Tower was first confirmed by de Blasio spokeswoman Julia Arredondo. The mayor had previously announced plans for the phrase to be painted in each of the city’s boroughs. Arredondo stressed the Manhattan location in front of Trump Tower was no coincidence.
“The president is a disgrace to the values we cherish in New York City,” she said in a statement. “He can’t run or deny the reality we are facing, and any time he wants to set foot in the place he claims is his hometown, he should be reminded Black Lives Matter.”
De Blasio reiterated the political motive during a Wednesday appearance on MSNBC. “We’re going to make it really clear to the president. It’s going to be right outside his doorstep,” he said.
“Black Lives Matter” was also painted in bright yellow lettering near the White House in Washington, D.C., last month.
Protesters around the country have sought to raise awareness about systemic racism and police brutality against non-white people. Some activists have called for abolishing the police, but observers say the “defund the police” movement is more about shrinking the police budget and shifting funds over to mental healthcare, affordable housing, and other services.
The demonstrations began after Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on Memorial Day after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes despite his pleas for air.
The officer who pressed a knee to Floyd’s neck, Derek Chauvin, was fired from the department and has been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The three other officers who were involved in detaining Floyd, who was suspected of using a counterfeit $20 bill, were also fired and charged with aiding and abetting murder.
