WASHINGTON, DC (LOOTPRESS) – Crews have begun removing the large “Black Lives Matter” mural painted on a street just one block from the White House, marking the end of a symbolic landmark created during the 2020 protests against police brutality.
Change Ordered by Mayor Bowser
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced last week that the mural would be replaced by a new set of city-sponsored murals, though the details have not been disclosed. The removal process is expected to take about six weeks.
Bowser initially ordered the mural’s creation in June 2020 amid nationwide protests following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. The intersection was also renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza, serving as a focal point for demonstrations.
Now, with President Donald Trump back in office and Republicans controlling both houses of Congress, the decision to remove the mural reflects the changing political landscape in Washington. Bowser cited pressure from activists and congressional Republicans as a key factor in the decision.
Political and Public Reactions
Bowser, a Democrat, has acknowledged that D.C.’s limited autonomy makes it difficult to resist federal influence. She posted on X (formerly Twitter) last week, stating:
“The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference. The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern.”
As the removal work began, some onlookers gathered at the site to witness the moment.
- Starlette Thomas, a 45-year-old Maryland resident who participated in the 2020 protests, expressed mixed emotions: “To walk away with a piece of that, it means it’s not gone. It’s more than brick and mortar.”
- Megan Bailiff, CEO of Equus Striping, the company that originally painted the letters, criticized the removal, calling it “historically obscene.”
Meanwhile, conservative figures celebrated the mural’s removal, with Charlie Kirk, a prominent right-wing activist, visiting the site to declare it “the end of this mass race hysteria in our country.”
D.C. Autonomy Under Threat
The removal comes as Trump and congressional Republicans continue efforts to reduce D.C.’s self-governance. Trump has repeatedly described the city as being plagued by crime, graffiti, and homelessness, and there are reports that his administration is considering an executive order targeting Washington’s local control.
Additionally, a Republican-led measure in Congress, named the BOWSER Act, seeks to repeal the Home Rule Act of 1973, which grants Washington, D.C. limited self-governance.
With the city’s political future uncertain, the removal of Black Lives Matter Plaza marks another shift in Washington’s political and cultural landscape under the new administration.
