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In what amounts to a stunning display of political hubris — at taxpayer expense? — the mayor of Washington DC has painted a giant “Black Lives Matter” banner on one of the streets leading to the White House.
Because she can.
Giant yellow letters span two entire blocks of 16th Street, leading to Lafayette Square, which is across from the White House — protesters/rioters have all but destroyed the park with graffiti and other means of ruination.
16th Street leading to White House is painted with giant yellow letters spelling Black Lives Matter. pic.twitter.com/Y0KNifEk06
— Alex Leary (@learyreports) June 5, 2020
U.S. Park Police forcibly removed demonstrators from the park last week, prior to Trump walking to St. John’s Episcopal Church.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, a black woman who called that effort “shameful,” initiated the political messaging “to honor demonstrators who (were) peacefully protesting on Monday evening,” according to her chief of staff.
Here’s how CNN touted the shameless abuse of power:
The massive banner-like project spans two blocks of 16th Street, a central axis that leads southward straight to the White House. Each of the 16 bold, yellow letters spans the width of the two-lane street, creating an unmistakable visual easily spotted by aerial cameras and virtually anyone within a few blocks.
“The painting of 16th St with “BLACK LIVES MATTER” is an effort not only blessed by Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser but initiated by her,” Bowser’s spokeswoman LaToya Foster told the network. “The painters are contractors directed by the Mayor. They have been at it since 2 or 3 in the morning.”
But it doesn’t stop there, as the section of the street in front of the White House is now officially “Black Lives Matter Plaza,” according to the mayor, who epitomizes the idea that elections have consequences.
The section of 16th street in front of the White House is now officially “Black Lives Matter Plaza”. pic.twitter.com/bbJgAYE35b
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) June 5, 2020
DC just put up a Black Lives Matter street sign just outside Lafayette Park. pic.twitter.com/TryXNOwLdH
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 5, 2020
And make no mistake, Bowser is proud of her efforts, which many consider a giant middle finger to the president of the United States — then again, as we saw with the Obama administration’s effort to undermine an incoming president and the Democrat-led House of Representatives, there doesn’t seem to be any political repercussions to weaponizing government to go after political opponents.
The Black Lives Matter movement pushes a far-left narrative that race-driven police brutality is rampant — the stats simply don’t support the false claim.
#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/OQg6977n5r
— Muriel Bowser (@MurielBowser) June 5, 2020
On Friday, Bowser sent a letter requesting that President Trump “withdraw all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence,” claiming that units brought in to ensure law and order in the city are “inflaming” and “adding to the grievances” of protesters/rioters.
“I continue to be concerned that unidentified federal personnel patrolling the streets of Washington, DC pose both safety and national security risks,” the mayor said in the letter.
I request that @realDonaldTrump withdraw all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence from our city. pic.twitter.com/AvaJfQ0mxP
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) June 5, 2020
This coming as The Hill reports in a “massive” protest expected in Washington on Saturday.
There are some reports that as many as one million people could converge on the nation’s capital, and Bowser wants to clear out any federal assistance.
We’ve hit a week of protests over George Floyd’s death and even though it’s hot and humid, a few hundred people are on the move from the White House to the Capitol.
Numbers are smaller but with talk of a massive march this Saturday, it’s likely people are saving their energy. pic.twitter.com/WiruaAX8go
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) June 4, 2020
https://twitter.com/chriswright35/status/1268902619793231873?s=20
Typical of the left, the local chapter of the movement marked by violence during the Ferguson protests criticized the mayor, claiming that the display was “performative,” and distracts from the hard-lefts goal of defunding police — and steering the funding to groups like themselves.
“This is performative and a distraction from her active counter organizing to our demands to decrease the police budget and invest in the community. Black Lives Matter means Defund the police,” the BLM DC group tweeted.
This is performative and a distraction from her active counter organizing to our demands to decrease the police budget and invest in the community. Black Lives Matter means Defund the police. @FenitN @wusa9 @ABC7News @IGD_News @news https://t.co/8VUnHOBtsg
— Black Lives Matter DC (@DMVBlackLives) June 5, 2020
Bowser was also critical of the placement of additional barriers outside the White House amid the rioting, which has become a target for protesters.
“Keep in mind that that’s the people’s house,” Bowser said during a press conference
Never have truer words been spoken when she talked about accessibility.
“It’s a sad commentary that the house and its inhabitants have to be walled off,” she said. “I think that’s a sad commentary. We should want the White House opened up for people to be able to access it from all sides.”
This is how the whole affair is playing out among the Trump Derangement Syndrome cabal:
Two versions of America:
celebrating brave civil rights protestors
and cowering behind fences and barricades in the WH.#babygate pic.twitter.com/6r7HFmLzXj— Amy Siskind 🏳️🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) June 5, 2020
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