March 11, 2025 Story by: Editor
Washington, D.C., began removing Black Lives Matter Plaza on Monday, just days after Mayor Muriel Bowser announced plans to redesign the space.
Why It Matters
The mural, located near the White House, was originally painted in the summer of 2020 as a statement against police brutality and a direct response to then-President Donald Trump.
Latest Developments
On Monday evening, Trump shared a video on TruthSocial showing construction crews breaking apart the asphalt and clearing away debris.
Project Details
- The removal process is expected to take six to eight weeks.
- The iconic yellow mural stretched across two blocks on 16th Street leading to the White House.
- In 2021, D.C. invested approximately $5 million to make the plaza a permanent, pedestrian-friendly space.
- Last Tuesday, Bowser announced that the area would be reimagined as part of D.C.’s America 250 mural project, celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday next year.
Community Response
Before the removal began, members of Kappa Alpha Psi, one of the nation’s oldest Black fraternities, paid tribute to the plaza on Sunday, as reported by NBC4.
“You can erase this,” said fraternity member Richard Mattox, “but you cannot erase our history.”
Political Tensions
Bowser’s decision comes amid political pressure from U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde, a Georgia Republican, who introduced a bill last Monday aimed at renaming the plaza.
- The proposed legislation would withhold federal highway funds from D.C. if Black Lives Matter Plaza remained in place.
- The bill suggests renaming the site Liberty Plaza instead.
Bowser’s office did not respond to Axios’ inquiries regarding the potential renaming of the area. Source: Axios
