Bye, Bye BLM Plaza

The Black Lives Matter plaza in Washington, DC, is set to be redesigned, according to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D).

Bowser: “We have long considered Black Lives Matter Plaza’s evolution and the plaza will be part of DC’s America 250 mural project, where we will invite students and artists to create new murals across all eight wards,” she announced.

“The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a very painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference,” Bowser continued.

“The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern,” she continued. “Our focus is on economic growth, public safety, and supporting our residents affected by these cuts.”

Black Lives Matter Plaza has reigned supreme along 16th Street NW since 2020, coming together during the widespread protests and riots following the death of George Floyd. The plaza, Fox 5 noted, was “officially completed” the following year.

At the time, Bowser said they “transformed the mural into a monument.”

Her most recent announcement follows the action of Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), who recently introduced H.R. 1774. If passed, it would essentially “withhold certain apportionment funds from the District of Columbia unless the Mayor of the District of Columbia removes the phrase Black Lives Matter from the street symbolically designated as Black Lives Matter Plaza,” per a summary.

The bill also “redesignates such street as Liberty Plaza, and removes such phrase from each website, document, and other material under the jurisdiction of the District of Columbia,” per the summary.

“Following the introduction of my bill to rename Black Lives Matter Plaza, Mayor Bowser CAVED—announcing that D.C. WILL rename the plaza,” Clyde announced following Bowser’s statement.

“This woke, divisive slogan will no longer stain the streets of America’s capital city,” he added.