Located just steps from the White House, the two-block stretch of 16th Street NW features the words “Black Lives Matter” in massive yellow letters across the asphalt. The site was established in June 2020, during nationwide protests following the murder of George Floyd. It quickly became a symbol of the movement, drawing both support and criticism.
Now, GOP lawmakers, led by House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), are looking to dismantle it as part of a broader effort to curb what they see as left-wing influence in the nation’s capital.
“The House Oversight Committee and the Trump Administration are working on delivering a number of reforms to make our nation’s capital safe and end left-wing pet projects,” Comer said. “This includes addressing partisan abuses by the District government such as Black Lives Matter Plaza.”
The push to remove the plaza comes amid Republican efforts to exert more control over Washington, D.C. Congress has the power to override local decisions under the Home Rule Act of 1973, and lawmakers have previously intervened on issues like criminal justice reform in the city.
Trump and many in the GOP have also called for the federal government to take over D.C. entirely.
