Construction crews began tearing into the ground of Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C., Monday as onlookers watched the two blocks of 16th Street near the White House transform.
“It’s disappointing. I wish it wasn’t happening. I’m not gonna say I’m angry, you know, I guess we’re beyond anger right now with this administration,” Dr. Kristy McDowell of northern Virginia said.
“I’m just disappointed he’s forcing her hand to do this,” McDowell, 50, added, claiming that President Donald Trump forced District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser to dismantle the plaza.
Bowser signaled the end of Black Lives Matter Plaza last week after Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) proposed denying federal funds to Washington if the area was not renamed.
“The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a very painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference,” Bowser said in a statement.
McDowell said she understands the pressure Bowser was under and does not blame the mayor for the demise of Black Lives Matter Plaza.
“I understand why she’s doing it, she has a constituency, a district of people to worry about, and she can’t risk losing funding for her city,” she said.
“What are you gonna do? You can’t fight every battle, right? You can’t fight every battle, and this was significant for the time. It’s significant now. However, she has to do what she has to do.”
Southeast Washington native Joseph White, 42, also came down to witness the reconstruction of 16th Street and echoed McDowell’s support for Bowser.
“I think everything begins with, like, the president,” he said. “I don’t think the mayor had anything to do with this.”
Trump needs to start doing things the “right way,” according to White.
“We don’t want to spark any type of war within our country,” he said. “There’s so much going on around the world, we need peace right now. We just need people to do right.”
Black Lives Matter Plaza was designated in June 2020 as protests sprang up around the country following the death of George Floyd, and the movement it symbolized won’t be erased with its dismantling, according to McDowell.
“It was a testament to the times of support,” she said. “Letting the world know that our lives mattered and that it was a statement saying that and letting everyone know.”
“To see it go, it doesn’t take away the message.”
Clyde’s proposal would see Black Lives Matter Plaza become “Liberty Plaza” and honor the history of the nation as its 250th birthday approaches.
“Our capital city must serve as a beacon of freedom, patriotism, and safety — not wokeness, divisiveness, and lawlessness,” he said.
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Bowser has not confirmed the name of the new plaza.
“My intention was to announce this with our next America 250 commission meeting, which will be later this month,” the mayor said. “So while the announcement came a little bit sooner than I had planned, the decision had been made.”