D.C. mayor has 'Black Lives Matter' painted on street near White House

By Lisa Lambert and Alexandra Alper

 

A Black lives matter sign is painted on a street, during nationwide protests against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Washington, D.C., June 5, 2020. Khalid Naji-Allah Executive Office of the Mayor

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The mayor of Washington, D.C., had the slogan "Black Lives Matter" painted in massive yellow letters on a street leading to the White House on Friday in tribute to victims of police brutality as she sparred with U.S. President Donald Trump.

 

Mayor Muriel Bowser's defiant message came as tensions remained high across the nation over the death of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis police custody nearly two weeks ago, prompting political leaders in that city and elsewhere to announce new restrictions on law enforcement.

 

"Breonna Taylor, on your birthday, let us stand with determination," Bowser, a Democrat, wrote on Twitter in reference to a 26-year-old black woman who was shot dead by Louisville, Kentucky police in March. "Determination to make America the land it ought to be."

 

Bowser and Trump, a Republican, are at odds over the president's use of federal law enforcement agencies and military police to put down demonstrations. U.S. Park Police fired smoke grenades and chemical irritant "pepper balls" to break up a protest on Monday night so Trump could walk from the White House to a nearby church for a photo opportunity.

 

"We want troops from out-of-state, out of Washington, D.C.," Bowser, who has called for the District of Columbia to be granted U.S. statehood, told reporters on Thursday.

 

The city also installed a street sign for "Black Lives Matter Plaza" at the intersection of H and 16th Streets.

 

"The incompetent Mayor of Washington, D.C., @MayorBowser, who's budget is totally out of control and is constantly coming back to us for 'handouts', is now fighting with the National Guard, who saved her from great embarrassment," Trump responded on Twitter. "If she doesn't treat these men and women well, then we'll bring in a different group of men and women!"

 

On Friday, a U.S. official said the Pentagon would be sending back the remaining 900 active-duty troops who had been deployed to the Washington, D.C., area.

 

Streets around the White House have been a focus of demonstrations that have swept the nation to protest the May 25 death of Floyd, 46, after a white police officer pinned him to the ground with a knee to the neck for nearly nine minutes.

 

Protests have also rocked cities including Atlanta, Denver, Detroit and Los Angeles, as well as many smaller communities.

 

After video footage from upstate New York raised further questions about the handling of demonstrators by law enforcement, two Buffalo police officers seen on Thursday shoving a 75-year-old protester to the ground were suspended and placed under investigation.

 

All 57 members of their police tactical unit quit the unit to protest their treatment, local media said Friday. [L1N2DI1TC]

 

LAWMAKERS RUSH TO REFORM POLICING

 

Responding to the still-resonating outcry over Floyd's death, Minneapolis officials on Friday voted to end the use of knee restraints and choke holds.

 

California Governor Gavin Newsom said on Friday that he would end state police training in the use of restraints that restrict the carotid artery in the neck.

 

Activists have also called for cities to defund police departments. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who in April proposed increasing law enforcement funding, this week proposed some $150 million in cuts to the Los Angeles Police Department.

 

The demonstrations have erupted as Americans and businesses struggle to recover from sweeping lockdowns imposed by state and local officials due to the coronavirus.

 

Trump, who is seeking re-election in November, was cheered on Friday by an unexpected jump in U.S. employment in May, defying predictions of further job losses inflicted by the pandemic.

 

"What's happened to our country and what you now see has been happening is the greatest thing that could happen for race relations, for the African-American community, for the Asian-American, for the Hispanic-American community, for women, for everything," Trump said.

 

Bowser, who is black, represents a city that is 47% black, according to Census data.

 

She has said she is fine with D.C. National Guard helping to keep order in Washington, but is examining all legal options to reverse the deployment of federal forces from elsewhere.

 

Further demonstrations were planned for Washington, D.C. on Saturday, and memorial services were expected over the next several days. Floyd's funeral is planned for Tuesday.

 

The change in mood reflected a determination by activists and organizers to turn outrage over Floyd's death into a renewed civil rights movement and reform police departments and the U.S. criminal justice system.

 

Despite the improvement overall in Friday's jobs report, unemployment among African Americans was higher in May than in April, a statistic that critics were certain to cite as underscoring racial disparities in American society.

 

The unemployment rate for African Americans is 3.5 percentage points higher than the national rate of 13.3%, while the rate for whites is 12.4%, nearly a full point below the national rate.

 

(Reporting by Lisa Lambert, Alexandra Alper, Andy Sullivan, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Nathan Layne, Sharon Bernstein and Dan Whitcomb; Writing by Grant McCool and Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Howard Goller and Daniel Wallis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-06

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Wonderful!

It seems there are still a couple of good people in America.

More of the same please.

22 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

What are you trying to say : 

   *Trump will not approve of this* ?

What do you think? 

He's calling the BLM protesters terrorists. 

While that two-block section of 16th St. has been renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza on Google Maps, still wating for a a satellite update to show this new "statement".

 

Half-expecting ag barr and his little green men to paint over it, all in the name of "law and order".

 

 

It will be interesting to see the outcome if the movements to defund the police succeed in any meaningful way. Back to the old wild west where everyone is armed and sorts out their problems themselves.

Edited June 6, 20206 yr by DoctorG
spelling error

6 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

What do you think? 

He's calling the BLM protesters terrorists. 

Well some of then certainly acted like terrorists. I wonder how many of the looted/destroyed businesses will not reopen in the worst affected cities, thereby denying both employment and local shopping to the residents,

18 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

Well some of then certainly acted like terrorists. I wonder how many of the looted/destroyed businesses will not reopen in the worst affected cities, thereby denying both employment and local shopping to the residents,

Oh please. 

Just now, Jingthing said:

Oh please. 

You're welcome.

30 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

It will be interesting to see the outcome if the movements to defund the police succeed in any meaningful way. Back to the old wild west where everyone is armed and sorts out their problems themselves.

As opposed to the status quo, where everybody and their uncle are already armed to the teeth?

But instead of passing meaningful gun- laws, we better militarize the police!

Give them tanks and armoured personal carriers!

What's next?
Nuclear drones and submarines?

Edited June 6, 20206 yr by The Barmbeker

58 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

What do you think? 

He's calling the BLM protesters terrorists. 

I very much doubt that .

Highly improbable 

You may be getting confused with him wanting Antifa to be seen as a terror organisation 

Edited June 6, 20206 yr by CorpusChristie

50 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

Well some of then certainly acted like terrorists. I wonder how many of the looted/destroyed businesses will not reopen in the worst affected cities, thereby denying both employment and local shopping to the residents,

There are some  blacks who oppose  and won’t support BLM ,especially this one who’s lively hood was destroyed by looters during the protest

https://www.the-sun.com/news/926466/george-floyd-protests-looters-black-lives-matter-lie/

23 minutes ago, The Barmbeker said:

As opposed to the status quo, where everybody and their uncle are already armed to the teeth?

Remind me, how were the riots and looting in Alaska? where everybody and their uncle is armed to the teeth. Interesting how that state is a much safer place than liberal run states. 

Troll post and replies removed.

8 hours ago, rooster59 said:

The mayor of Washington, D.C., had the slogan "Black Lives Matter" painted in massive yellow letters on a street leading to the White House on Friday in tribute to victims of police brutality as she sparred with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Brilliant, can’t decide if I like this Mayor more or Lori Lightfoot, the Mayor of Chicago, who made clear what she thinks of trump’s statements on those protesting police brutality. 

Edited June 6, 20206 yr by Bluespunk

25 minutes ago, riclag said:

There are some  blacks who oppose  and won’t support BLM ,especially this one who’s lively hood was destroyed by looters during the protest

https://www.the-sun.com/news/926466/george-floyd-protests-looters-black-lives-matter-lie/

More than a few, many millions and what of the non black citizens of America, what are they to think now? 

Not the brightest mayor, wouldn’t “all lives matter” be more inclusive?

Edited June 6, 20206 yr by twocatsmac

80% my family are black mostly in Chicago and Jolliet area and most don't support BLM as they became hijacked and going racist as they never protest against all black being killed and target only 1 race..white

18 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Brilliant, can’t decide if I like this Mayor more or Lori Lightfoot, the Mayor of Chicago, who made clear what she thinks of trump’s statements on those protesting police brutality. 

Don't forget Mayor Bottoms of Atlanta. She's being seriously considered by Biden to be his VP. 

why do black lives matter over other colours ?

 

Seems very racist.

17 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

why do black lives matter over other colours ?

 

Seems very racist.

Let me make this real simple for you:

 

 

They don’t and nobody said they do.

 

21 minutes ago, Siamjim said:

80% my family are black mostly in Chicago and Jolliet area and most don't support BLM as they became hijacked and going racist as they never protest against all black being killed and target only 1 race..white

OK.

14 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Let me make this real simple for you:

 

 

They don’t and nobody said they do.

 

But #whitelivesmatter is racist apparently.

 

Go figure !!

56 minutes ago, twocatsmac said:

More than a few, many millions and what of the non black citizens of America, what are they to think now? 

Not the brightest mayor, wouldn’t “all lives matter” be more inclusive?

It's all a one way street...Dianne Abbot once said "West Indian Mums would go to the wall for their kids" insinuating they care more than other Mums...not a peek out of the Labour party, no rioting, no protests, just brushed under the carpet as usual

2 hours ago, CorpusChristie said:

I very much doubt that .

Highly improbable 

You may be getting confused with him wanting Antifa to be seen as a terror organisation 

You do, huh?

Quote

President Donald Trump on Thursday shared a letter on Twitter that referred to the peaceful protesters who were forcibly dispersed from a park near the White House on Monday evening as “terrorists.”

https://fox8.com/news/trump-shares-letter-that-calls-peaceful-protesters-terrorists/

I wish trump would just call in the troops of shut the hell up. He certainly isnt helping.

 

True to form he will encourage and incite. Then blame democrats. Then try and fix what he incites. Thats all he does, cause a problem then say he fixed it.

 

So just do it donald. Or are you hiding in your bunker.

13 minutes ago, jamesnotblonde said:

57 member of Buffalo police dept resigned in support of 2 colleagues seems there unions wont fund legal fee anymore  so if BLM wanted rid of police seems its working.

I do not condone the officer kneeling on floyd or any other excessive brutality I am white lived in the states was chased once got away but never feared them they still have to do a difficult job

You are aware though, what happened in Buffalo, why the 2 cops were fired and why the 57 will not be missed, don't you?

If not: there are at least 2 videos available of the incident!

Watch them, come back and defend the monsters again!

You won't watch it or if you do, you will make BS excuses for what happened and in the meantime some of your colleagues here, will have dug up a case of shop-- lifting the 75 year old guy was part of in 1961, which basically made him "had it coming"!

15 minutes ago, The Barmbeker said:

You are aware though, what happened in Buffalo, why the 2 cops were fired and why the 57 will not be missed, don't you?

If not: there are at least 2 videos available of the incident!

Watch them, come back and defend the monsters again!

You won't watch it or if you do, you will make BS excuses for what happened and in the meantime some of your colleagues here, will have dug up a case of shop-- lifting the 75 year old guy was part of in 1961, which basically made him "had it coming"!

Yes and they initially lied about what actually happened. Said he tripped. If all those cops are that corrupted by that blue line culture, maybe they should fire the lot of them. and start over. 

Some off topic posts have been removed. 

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

You do, huh?

https://fox8.com/news/trump-shares-letter-that-calls-peaceful-protesters-terrorists/

Yes, just as I thought, Donald Trump didn't call the BLM protestors terrorists .

Someone else said it about the violent demonstrators and Trump just shared the letter .

Trump did not do as you claimed 

38 minutes ago, jamesnotblonde said:

57 member of Buffalo police dept resigned in support of 2 colleagues

 

Meh.

 

They resigned from the special task force, not the BPD.

 

Carry on.

 

 

4 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Wonderful!

It seems there are still a couple of good people in America.

More of the same please.

 

I was wishing the DC mayor could paint the same message right across the front of the White House... But Trump isn't gonna allow that to happen on federal property... So the city street out front is a pretty good alternate option. Really like the BOLD letters!  Kinda hard to miss that message.