Thursday, 25 Apr 2024

What is the Black Lives Matter mural in Washington DC and what did Mayor Bowser say about it? – The Sun

THE words Black Lives Matter were painted in enormous bright yellow letters on the street leading to the White House.

The project was completed Friday – but not everyone was happy about it.


Here is the lowdown on the Black Lives Matter mural.

Who painted the Black Lives Matter mural in DC?

City workers and volunteers painted the words for the highly visible sign in support of a protest movement that has often squared off with President Trump.

Where is the Black Lives Matter mural?

The letters and an image of the city's flag stretch across 16th Street for two blocks, ending just before the church where Trump recently staged a photo-op.

“The section of 16th street in front of the White House is now officially ‘Black Lives Matter Plaza,’” tweeted DC Mayor Muriel Bowser.

A sign was put up to mark the mural.

Black Lives Matter is one of many activist groups that has protested the death of George Floyd, who lost his life while in police custody in Minneapolis.

What did Mayor Bowser say about the Black Lives Matter mural?

Bowser paid tribute to Breonna Taylor as she posted video of the completed mural on Friday morning.

"Breonna Taylor, on your birthday, let us stand with determination," the mayor tweeted.

"Determination to make America the land it ought to be."

Taylor was an EMT who was shot at least eight times in March when Louisville police officers forcibly entered her apartment to serve a search warrant.

She would have turned 27 on Friday.

The mural paid its respects to Black Lives Matter – but the local chapter was not exactly thrilled with it.

The Washington, DC BLM team even took a jab at the mayor on social media.

“This is performative and a distraction from her active counter organizing to our demands to decrease the police budget and invest in the community,” the local chapter wrote on Twitter.


The group later added: "We’ve gotten many emails about being mean to @MayorBowser but none asking us about the murders by police she ignored and their families."

What did Mayor Bowser say about the Third Amendment?

Bowser told reporters on Thursday that "the very first thing is we want the military – we want troops from out-of-state out of Washington, DC."

The Third Amendment does not allow the quartering of soldiers "in any house without the consent of the owner" in time of peace.

Thousands of National Guard members had been deployed from around the country to assist the Metropolitan Police Department in DC.

Utah Sen. Mike Lee tweeted Thursday night that he "just heard that Mayor Bowser is kicking the Utah National Guard out of all DC hotels tomorrow."

"More than 1200 troops from 10 states are being evicted.

"This is unacceptable."

The Republican added: "These brave men and women have risked their lives protecting DC for three days."

"Rioting, looting, arson, and vandalism have all disappeared bc these soldiers served.

"And now they are being kicked to the curb by an ungrateful mayor.

"This must be stopped."

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said: "I will do everything possible to push back against this outrage against the men and women of our National Guard.

"They left their homes and businesses in Utah to protect homes and businesses in our nation’s Capital.

"The Mayor of DC should thank them – not evict them!"

Where are the riots in the US following George Floyd’s death?

Protests and looting have been taking place all over the country in wake of Floyd's death in police custody on Memorial Day.

Floyd died after prosecutors say Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on the black man's neck for nearly nine minutes.
Black Lives Matter and other groups have demanded answers.

Thousands have been arrested during the protests.

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