Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Latin Times
Latin Times
Elizabeth Urban

WATCH: DC 'Black Lives Matter' Street Mural Being Demolished After Ultimatum From White House

Crews begin work to remove the "Black Lives Matter" street mural and plaza in Washington, DC, on March 10, 2025. The mural was created during the 2020 protests following the murder of George Floyd by police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Washington D.C. began demolishing its "Black Lives Matter" street mural after the White House issued an ultimatum to remove the artwork from a street just north of the presidential palace.

Construction workers equipped with drills and jackhammers got to work Monday morning, breaking up the concrete and stones that the enormous yellow letters had been painted over.

At least one protestor attended the removal of the mural, holding a simple pink poster that read "Black Lives Matter."

An onlooker holds a sign reading "Black Lives Matter" as crews begin work to remove the "Black Lives Matter" street mural and plaza in Washington, DC, on March 10, 2025. (Credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser revealed on March 4 that her administration agreed to remove the mural after "congressional interference."

"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. The devastating impact of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern. Our focus is on economic growth, public safety, and supporting our residents affected by these cuts," she wrote.

Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia filed a bill earlier this month threatening the city with loss of federal transportation funding if they did not agree to remove the mural, however Bowser told NBC Washington that her decision had already been made by then.

After protests began popping up across the country in response to the death of George Floyd, a Black man killed by a police officer in Minnesota, the mural was erected in D.C. The bold, yellow letters were commissioned by the D.C. mayor after peaceful protestors were reportedly cleared with tear gas moments before President Donald Trump walked nearby for a photo-op at St. John's Church, as reported by NPR.

The mural was created in June 2020 and unveiled on Breonna Taylor's birthday, a Black woman whose death also garnered national attention after she was shot inside her home during a botched raid by police in Louisville, Kentucky, that March.

Activists and supporters of the mural have condemned the removal, calling it a step backwards, while opponents of the sign say it created divisiveness.

© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.