Washington, DC is painting a message in giant, yellow letters down a busy DC street ahead of a planned protest this weekend: BLACK LIVES MATTER.
Bowser has officially deemed the section of 16th Street bearing the mural “Black Lives Matter Plaza,” complete with a new street sign.
Bowser told reporters outside of St John’s Church next to Lafayette Park that she and DC Council members were there “as Washingtonians — we simply all want to be here together in peace to demonstrate that in America — you can peacefully assemble, you can bring grievances to your government, and you can demand change.”
“We’re here peacefully as Americans, on American streets, on DC streets,” Bowser said, seeming to reference the recent clash that she has had with the federal government over their attempts to police DC streets.
The DC chapter of the Black Lives Matter Global Network criticized the gesture.