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Washington D.C.’s mayor decided to pay tribute to the Black Lives Matter movement by renaming a street in the organization’s honor and emblazoning the phrase on the road.
RELATED: Tear gas, threats for protesters before Trump visits church
Mayor Muriel Bowser contacted painters early Friday morning to paint “BLACK LIVES MATTER” in big, bold yellow letters across the road, spanning two blocks of 16th Street.
A section of the street, which leads southward straight to the White House, was renamed “Black Lives Matter Plaza” with a new street sign.
Bowser spoke with reporters outside of St. John’s Episcopal Church next to Lafayette Park where she said that she and DC Council members wanted to showcase peace.
#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/OQg6977n5r
— Muriel Bowser #StayHomeDC (@MurielBowser) June 5, 2020
“As Washingtonians — we simply all want to be here together in peace to demonstrate that in America — you can peacefully assemble, you can bring grievances to your government, and you can demand change,” she said per CNN.
“We’re here peacefully as Americans, on American streets, on DC streets,” Bowser added.
Washington has been the location of several protests in response to death of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and other Black people that have been killed or terrorized by police or in racist attacks.
RELATED: Twitter rips Trump’s Bible photo-op in front of church after protest remarks
President Donald Trump came under fire on Monday when he had police tear gas and remove protestors so he could walk across Lafayette Park to St. John’s Episcopal Church, where he took photos holding a Bible.
The photo-op was widely disparaged by both activists and political leaders, including former Defense Secretary James Mattis.
On Thursday, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in response to the incident, challenging the federal use of force.
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