Dispute over lettering: Black Lives Matter: Must painting in Washington give way?

The mayor of the US capital Washington indicates willingness to brush a street painting with the words “Black Lives Matter” not far from the White House. After the brutal death of African American George Floyd in a police operation almost five years ago, Mayor Muriel Bowser had brushing on a street in huge yellow letters “Black Lives Matter” – in German, for example: “The lives of Schwarzer are important”. She officially called the place “Black Lives Matter” place. Now a congress member threatens to delete money from the capital should not be removed and the place renamed.

Mayor complains “senseless interference” of the congress

Bowser reacted with a statement in which she did not clearly announce to have street painting removed. But she made it clear that the city had other priorities at the moment. “The lettering inspired millions of people and helped our city with a very painful time, but now we cannot afford to be distracted by senseless interference of the congress,” she wrote. The main focus of the city applies, among other things, economic growth and public security.

As part of the America-2550 project, with which the 250th anniversary of the United States, there are plans to draw new murals anyway, says Bowser. The city informed the regional broadcaster WTOP that the place would “develop into something new”, but did not give any details.

The Republican Congressman Andrew Clyde is currently making a mood against the so-called Blm-Platz. “We have to clean up Washington for the American people. I think the renaming of the BLM-Platz to Liberty-Platz is a good start,” he wrote. With a draft law, he threatens to withhold millions of US dollars of federal funds. “The BLM movement was nothing more than corruption and division. It is time for our nation to leave this failed agenda behind,” said the MP from the US state of Georgia.

Trump rejects BLM movement

Mayor Bowser is currently trying not to raise US President Donald Trump and subsequently his followers in the congress. Because special regulations apply to Washington. The US capital has a special status – the city was managed directly by the congress for a long time. Limited self -government has existed since 1973. However, the congress keeps the top control: all laws that the city council adopts can be checked and canceled by the congress.

Floyd’s violent death in the city of Minneapolis had triggered a debate about racism in the United States – there were nationwide protests under the motto “Black Lives Matter”. At the time, Trump threatened to use the military during his first term. The Republican and large parts of his party reject the movement perceived as links and progressively. In addition, they do not share the criticism of the police and reject racism as a structural problem in the United States.