NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio kept his promise to paint “Black Lives Matter” in huge yellow letters outside President Trump’s former home, Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue.
The mayor was joined by his wife, Chirlane McCray, the Rev. Al Sharpton, and a group of BLM activists and volunteers on Thursday.
#BREAKING: Painters start work on #BlackLivesMatter mural outside Trump Tower in NYC. pic.twitter.com/MQQe2b9YDJ
— The Hill (@thehill) July 9, 2020
Trump slammed de Blasio’s plans to paint the BLM mural outside his luxury apartment building. In a series of tweets last week, the president referred to BLM as a “symbol of hate” on one of NYC’s “greatest streets.” He called on police to stand up to the mayor and not let the mural happen.
@NYCMayor De Blasio painting Black Lives Matter out front of Trump Tower … #BLM #NYC pic.twitter.com/ngvIxE5Lkv
— InstantMedia (@MediaIndustria1) July 9, 2020
Trump also criticized the mayor for not doing enough to curb violent crime in his city. Shootings in NYC have skyrocketed 200%. There were 49 shootings and 9 murders in NYC last weekend.