'Black Lives Matter' Mural To Stay; 'Defund The Police' Uncertain

WASHINGTON, VA — Chairman Philip Mendelson confirmed Monday the D.C. Council would be voting on a piece of symbolic legislation Tuesday to support Mayor Muriel Bowser's renaming of a section of 16th Street near the White House as Black Lives Matter Plaza.

Last week, Bowser commissioned the mural to be painted on the street spelling out "Black Lives Matter" in block letters with yellow paint.

"We've commissioned the artwork. We've renamed the plaza, and I'm thankful to the Council for codifying that renaming to Black Lives Matter Plaza. We think it's going to have a central place in D.C. history, but in American history. We should be proud of it."

As for how long the mural will stay there, Bowser said that matter has not been discussed yet.

"Like all of our other public art, it stays. We will continue to talk about ways to make that a part of the fabric of D.C.," she said, adding that the city wanted downtown neighbors of the mural to be involved in the discussion.

Over the weekend, members of the DC Black Lives Matter added their own message next to the District's. In the same bright color, they painted: "Defund The Police."

Fixed it! Tell @MayorBowser
BLACK LIVES MATTER = #DefundPolice
Go to https://t.co/FgJ39qyfDm for more info!#BlackLivesMatter #BlackLivesMatterDC #BLMDC #AbolishThePolice @Mvmnt4BlkLives @byp100 #InDefenseOfBlackLife #M4BL #StopMPD pic.twitter.com/9RitA4g7ro
— BlackLivesMatter DC (@DMVBlackLives) June 7, 2020

Alicia Garza, Black Lives Matter co-founder, explained what that slogan means, during a Sunday morning interview on NBC's "Meet the Press."

"So much of policing right now is generated and directed towards quality-of-life issues, homelessness, drug addiction, domestic violence," she said. "What we do need is increased funding for housing, we need increased funding for education, we need increased funding for quality of life of communities who are over-policed and over-surveilled."

Asked whether "Defund the Police" would remain painted on 16th Street, Bowser said she did not consider it part of the mural and wouldn't give any further indication as to how long it would remain.

"It wasn't part of the commission, but we recognize it as expression," she said. "Especially right now, acknowledging and affirming expression is important to this discussion that we have to have as a community."

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