City workers in Washington, DC have begun removing the iconic Black Lives Matter mural to transform Black Lives Matter Plaza into Liberty Plaza.
The work began on Monday, March 10, and is expected to be completed in 6-8 weeks.
The mural is being removed under pressure from President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers.
The mural became a symbol of unity against racism and police brutality in the wake of George Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The area near the White House was officially renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza in 2020.
The mural’s removal was announced on DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s X account. She said that the removal is part of D.C.’s America 250 mural project, celebrating America’s 250th anniversary.
The giant bold yellow mural was originally painted along 2 city blocks on 16th Street in 2020 to protest police brutality and racism. The DC mural was removed once before in 2021 for a construction project. But it was soon repainted.
The District Department of Transportation said the project will take 6-8 weeks to complete.
“DDOT will closely coordinate with local stakeholders to ensure a smooth process, and we appreciate the public’s patience as we work to enhance this important corridor,” DDOT said in a press release.
Republican Andrew Clyde introduced legislation last week to withhold federal funding until DC removed the mural. Mayor Bowser announced that the mural would be removed in a post on X.
“The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a very painful period,” Bowser wrote. “But now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference.”
A similar mural was painted in the street outside Trump Tower in New York City by then-Mayor Bill de Blasio and his wife Chirlane McCray, along with other city officials in 2020.
